Elenath
by emi-kins
Summary: An Elf-babe is abandoned in our world, through a magical gate, to be raised by a human woman. This is the story of her return to her true home. ***COMPLETE***
1. A Secret Revealed

LEGOLAS FAN FICTION  
  
TITLE: Elenath  
  
AUTHOR: Emily  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
SUMMARY: An Elf-babe is abandoned in our world, through a magical gate, to be raised by a human woman. This is the story of her return to her true home.  
  
1  
  
Summer Templeton's grandmother had always told her never to talk to strange Elves in the woods, or anywhere else for that matter, or she might find herself swept away to another world never to be seen again. As a child growing up in rural Indiana, this warning had frightened her greatly and she always stayed away from the forests that grew and creeks that ran all about her house. Then as a teenager, she rolled her eyes at the very idea of Elves. Elves! She began to agree with some of the locals who said her grandmother had a few screws loose.  
  
"Crazy old woman thinks she met an elf one day back in '76!" they'd guffaw when they thought that Summer was out of earshot. "I hear those mountains down south'll do that do a person – make 'em think they see things they really don't."  
  
Summer never understood anything they were talking about and didn't much care. Having no memory of her father or mother, she bestowed all of the love she would have given both on this one dear old woman who had raised her from infanthood.  
  
That love hadn't grown less now that Summer was 25, and that fact certainly didn't make saying goodbye any easier. Her grandmother was dying and Summer felt that her heart would surely break. On that final day as she waited for the Hospice nurse to arrive, the young woman slowly ran a brush through her grandmother's long silver-white hair and thought about all of the wrongs Grandmother had righted, and all of the hurts she had soothed. Junior high school had been particularly rough, she recalled. The other children teased her mercilessly because of her ears. They were not overly large and didn't stick out as is the case with most ears that are laughed at. In fact they were perfectly lovely ears aside from the fact that they were pointed. Oh, they'd called her names. Summer smiled as she remembered some of them, and Grandmother asked what she was thinking of.  
  
"Do you remember the time I came home from school crying because the kids kept calling me 'vampire bat', Grandma?"  
  
"Oh, Summer," the old woman spoke softly with a smile in her voice. "How could I forget? What was that other name they called you? The one that upset you so much that you tried to tug your ears right off your head?"  
  
Summer laughed. "They called me Mrs. Spock and kept saying 'live long and prosper.'"  
  
"You couldn't stand the thought of being Mrs. Spock. You wanted to marry Captain Kirk. You were always such a fanciful child, thinking up grand adventures and writing poetry. And always singing too…. Would you sing a song for me now, Summer?"  
  
"What would you like for me to sing?"  
  
"Oh," said the old woman, "Just make something up. Anything."  
  
Summer thought for a moment, twirling a ringlet of her dark auburn hair around her finger. Merriment danced in her hazel eyes and she stood up and put her hand over her heart and sang a song about a fair maiden who sat on a rock and did not want to marry a Vulcan named Spock.  
  
The old woman's laughter filled the room for a brief moment before she sighed and closed her eyes. "You are the light of my life, Summer, and I love you dearly."  
  
Summer leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Grandma. Now maybe you should rest."  
  
"No, Child. There will be plenty of time for that where I'm going." She sighed. "Please sit here next to me because there is something that I would like to tell you. My time to do so grows short. I can feel it in these old bones."  
  
Summer pulled up a chair and sat down, tenderly holding the old woman's hand as Grandmother spoke soberly. "I have a confession to make. I'm afraid I've been a very, very selfish woman."  
  
"What?" she asked, "You certainly have not! You gave up everything to raise me when my mother and father ran away. How can you call that selfish?"  
  
"I should tell you about your mother and father. I should have told you the truth about them long ago."  
  
Summer's heart was fiercely loyal and she shushed the old woman. "Grandma, if you found it necessary to not tell me about them, then I trust your judgment."  
  
Grandmother smiled and patted Summer's hand. "Then trust my judgment now, Child, and know that it is necessary to tell this story. I pray that you believe what I say." She paused and looked the young woman right in the eyes as she said, "Your mother and father were Wood-Elves, Summer, and so are you."  
  
And the old woman told of the vacation she took back in the Summer of '76 to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina all by herself "because I was a stubborn old mule," she laughed. She told how she had hiked deep into the mountains and found the most wonderful, pure mountain stream and had sat there on a rock just basking in the sun, listening to the burbling water and watching the trees sway back and forth when, out of nowhere, two radiantly beautiful people appeared, one with a small bundle in her arms.  
  
  
  
"When I say they appeared out of nowhere, Summer, I mean it. They didn't pop out from behind a tree or a rock. One moment there was nothing and the next moment there were the two of them, panting and gasping for breath as if they had been running from something and very frightened. They were your parents and the bundle was you."  
  
She told how the Elven couple had spoken to her desperately, begging her to take the child and care for her until she was fully grown because their world was no longer safe for such a treasure. "They said they would come back for you if the evil lessened in their land, and to keep you near water and wood that they might find you.  
  
"I warned you away from the wood and water because I so came to love you that I never wanted to let you go, not even when you were fully grown. But now I am leaving this world and have realized the error of my ways. Of course you must go back, Summer, and soon."  
  
"B-but-" protested the poor girl. "How can you expect me to believe this? Wood-elves, Grandma? It's impossible! You must be mistaken! And even if it were true, why would I have to go back?"  
  
"I know it sounds crazy," Grandmother spoke carefully. "Bring me the box hidden beneath the loose floorboard in my bedroom."  
  
She walked carefully away to get it, shaking her head. Poor Grandma. It was bad enough that the cancer had stolen her ability to care for herself and enjoy life. Now it seemed to be taking her mind as well. Perhaps she would never know the truth about her parents. Her fingers tingled a bit as she lifted the shoebox out of its hiding place, but she took no notice. On the lid her grandmother had written the word "Elenath."  
  
"Elenath," her grandmother whispered when the box was handed to her. It sent a warm sensation through Summer's heart. "That was your Elven name, you know. Here." She lifted the lid and pulled out a delicate chain of the purest gold Summer had ever seen. On it hung a green jewel that seemed to move inside when she gazed into it. "Look into the stone, child. I never could see anything, but your mother swore you'd be able to see right to your true home if you ever longed for it."  
  
Obediently, she looked and gasped at the forest that appeared there, the trees waving gently in the breeze. She looked harder and saw people moving about…. People with pointy ears just like hers. "This is unbelievable."  
  
"It sure is, isn't' it? What do you see?"  
  
"Others," she answered, "Others like me."  
  
"See," said Grandmother, "Your old Grandma still has her wits about her." She took a map from the box as well and handed it to Summer. "You must go back. I've marked the place in red and I hope that they'll send someone for you. If not, there is a curious marking on one of the stones there. All you have to do is touch it and speak your name and you will be home."  
  
"But this is my home," Summer protested.  
  
"It cannot remain so, Child."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Grandmother sighed. "Because, Elenath, Elves are immortal."  
  
***  
  
That night long after her grandmother had gently passed on to her heavenly home and the hospice nurse had gone away, Summer sat and thought. She felt such great sorrow at the loss she had just experienced that she felt she herself might die. Restlessly pacing the old house, she realized that there was nothing here for her now. What would it hurt to follow the old map? Sure, her friends would miss her, but they would go on with their lives, wouldn't they? What did she have to lose? After all, if she got there and nothing happened, she could always come back and return to life as usual. And especially now, no one would blame her for taking a long vacation. 


	2. Arrival in Mirkwood

TITLE: Elenath  
  
AUTHOR: Emily  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
SUMMARY: An Elf-babe is abandoned in our world, through a magical gate, to be raised by a human woman. This is the story of her return to her true home.  
  
2.  
  
Summer woke up late the next morning and had to rush to get ready for church. The sleep had cleared her mind quite a bit, and she thought of the two people she would miss the most when she went on her journey: her best friend Kara who was due to return from her Caribbean Honeymoon Cruise later that day with her new husband Kyle, and David, her Jiu-Jitsu (martial art) and Ken-do (Japanese fencing) sensei (teacher). Summer sighed, realizing that she would be unable to say goodbye to either and wrote notes to both of them, detailing what her grandmother had told her the previous evening and apologizing for leaving so suddenly. David would take it especially hard, she knew, for he was like an overprotective brother to her. However, it could not be helped and she left the notes on the kitchen table, picked up her few little pieces of luggage, and walked out the door.  
  
Leaving home had been easy enough, but it was hard to leave that little church behind after the service that morning. The little fellowship of believers had become her safe haven in a world full of children who berated and made fun of her: little girls who were jealous of her pretty eyes and little boys who despised her because she could beat them at everything from foot-races to make-believe sword-fights. At the church, she had always just been Summer. Not Summer the Vampire Bat or Mrs. Spock. In fact she would never forget the words that Pastor Mike spoke to her the day after she got stood up for the Prom.  
  
"That was the young man's loss, Summer. Now, I don't know everything, but I do know this: If God gave you pointy ears, then He had good reason to do so."  
  
The words gave her comfort, especially now as she prepared to leave everything familiar behind because of those pointy ears.  
  
She stood contemplating this until Pastor Mike asked her if there was anything he could do for her. "I'm sorry to hear your grandmother died," he said softly, compassion showing in his kind eyes.  
  
Summer nodded. "She isn't suffering anymore. I will miss her terribly, but I know she's much happier where she is."  
  
"And perhaps you will see her again someday," he said.  
  
Unless I really do live forever, she thought but said, "Pastor Mike, do you believe in Elves?"  
  
His eyes sparkled, like a child's when it makes a new discovery. "Well, now, I wouldn't say this to just anyone, but I'll tell you that I certainly do not disbelieve. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Just curious, I guess…" She shook her head. "You must think I'm crazy."  
  
"No," said Pastor Mike, "But I do think that you're about to go on quite a journey."  
  
"How do you know that?" she asked.  
  
The Pastor shrugged. "Just a feeling, I guess. Sometimes the Good Lord gives me an idea of what's to come. Don't forget your Bible."  
  
She smiled and hugged him goodbye, and soon found herself behind the wheel of her green Saturn driving toward the mountains of North Carolina with a backpack full of clothes, food, water, and a Bible. The old map lay on the passenger seat next to her and the Elven necklace hung prettily around her neck.  
  
"By this time tomorrow, I will either be among the Elves… or I'll still be here." She laughed at her obvious statement and began to sing a song of her own about wonderful grandmothers and ridiculous quests and Pastors who seem to know too much.  
  
***  
  
The place her grandmother had been twenty-five years earlier had changed quite a bit, so much that Summer had to stop and buy an updated map at a gas station. The attendant gave her directions to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which, he said, would be a good place to start if she were looking for natural beauty.  
  
And it was beautiful; more beautiful than anything she could have imagined. She stopped at an overlook and peered down at the ocean of rolling purple and blue mountains below her. Here a hawk circled and there a tendril of smoke rose from a distant brushfire. But she knew she could not linger here for long, so she sat down on the grass, unfolded her grandmother's map once again, and sat puzzling over it for a long time. Finally a park ranger pulled off the road next to her and jumped out of his Jeep Cherokee, his hands in his pockets. "Well, then, you're lookin' kinda lost. Anythin' in perticular you're lookin' for?"  
  
She smiled at his accent. It seemed to go perfectly with the setting she was in. "Yes, actually. My grandmother visited here a long time ago and hiked to a certain spot. I'm trying to find it, but the road has changed and so have the trails. Can you help me?"  
  
"Let me see…" he looked at the old map and smiled. "You only lack just a few miles. It's just down yonder, that a 'way. Should be a sign there, says `Camp Creek Overlook.' Trail there'll lead you pretty close to the place. It'll be a short hike, actually. Back in the day this map was printed, it would have taken you a good hour to hike in from the trailhead, but now it'll just take you about five minutes."  
  
And so, with many thanks to the ranger, she set off down the road toward the Camp Creek Overlook, becoming more nervous and excited by the moment.  
  
Summer parked her car next to the sign the Ranger had told her to look for and climbed out. There were no other cars there, and for that she was thankful. She began to wonder, though, how wise it really would be to go into the woods all by herself without a weapon of some kind. It would be just her luck to get attacked on her way to meet the Elves. Shrugging, she opened the trunk of the Saturn and took out her Japanese Katana. She had won many a sparring match with the sword in her Ken-do classes back in Indiana. It felt perfectly natural tucked into her belt. That out of the way, she put on her daypack took a swig of water from her canteen and started happily down the trail without even looking back.  
  
The trees were dense and green on either side of the path, and after she walked a short while, she saw more and more mountain laurel until it was so thick it seemed she was walking through a tunnel of it. Then suddenly, the path opened up to the rocky banks of a babbling stream. The place was exactly as her grandmother had described it – the pure mountain stream, the trees, the burbling water and mossy rocks.  
  
"Hello?" she called tentatively, hoping against hope that maybe someone would be here waiting for her. "Anybody here?" She chuckled, wondering if perhaps she had gone insane. "Any Elves around?"  
  
She leapt spryly onto a rock in the middle of the water and looked around, breathing the fresh mountain air deep into her lungs. Is this where her parents had appeared? And where were they now? Slowly, she sat down and sighed, hoping that someone would show up to escort her home to… To where? She didn't even know that much. She looked into the jewel that hung around her neck once again to bolster her confidence and saw the forest and the Elves who roamed through it. This was no trick of the light. What she saw through the stone really existed somewhere. Still, Summer figured she had no business trying to find it on her own and decided to wait for an Elven escort.  
  
An hour passed, and then two and she began to eat a light snack of trail mix. She wrote a few things in her journal during the third hour and sang a little song during the fourth until finally she could stand the suspense no more. She would find the mark herself, unescorted, and pray that she did not get herself utterly lost in whatever new world she found herself. From rock to rock she hopped, upstream and down, looking for the `curious mark' Grandmother had described. For a while she feared she would never find it, but then, just as daylight was beginning to fail her, she found a well-worn strangely scratched symbol on the side of a tall rock that was level and smooth on top. Jumping up on top of it and taking a deep breath, she touched it and spoke the name she would use from now on. "Elenath."  
  
Immediately, the world began to spin fast around her and she clung onto the rock for dear life, screaming and scrunching her eyes closed. After what seemed like an eternity, the sensation stopped and she tentatively opened one eye and then the other only to find that she was in the exact same spot as she had been just moments ago: on a rock in the middle of a little stream. Only the light seemed a little different. And the terrain wasn't so hilly.  
  
"Tampa! Mankoi naa lle sinome?" Shouted a male voice suddenly, and she scrambled to her feet. Turning around, she gasped. There were three Elven archers there, their arrows at the ready and fixed on her. So majestic were they that, if she was not in fear of her life, she would have thought they were angels. As it was, however, each of the Elves eyed her sword suspiciously.  
  
"P-please don't shoot me!" she said quickly. "Look… I'm no threat to you." Elenath held her hands up and away from the katana, pleading with her eyes for them to drop their weapons.  
  
"Who are you?" asked the one nearest to her, "And why do you speak in the language of Men to your own kindred?"  
  
"M-my name is Elenath," she said and the Elves relaxed visibly, lowering their bows. "I am sorry but this is the only language that I speak."  
  
"Elenath?" asked the one who seemed to lead the three, "Did I hear you correctly? Your name is Elenath?"  
  
"Y-yes," she stuttered relieved that the arrows had been retuned to their quivers.  
  
The three Elves began to talk to each other in serious tones, using a language so rich and beautiful that it sounded as if it were made of the earth and the wind and the water. Elenath marveled at it and wondered if she would ever speak so beautifully herself.  
  
"Come," said the leader finally, offering a hand to help her over the water. He was smiling, a small braid or two adorning his long brown hair and tucked back behind his ears…. His pointed ears.  
  
Elenath eyed him warily for a long moment before giving in to her curiosity. She just had to ask. "Are you… an Elf?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"Of course I am," he replied with a hearty laugh, "And so are you, Young One. My name is Thorondil and I welcome you to Mirkwood."  
  
This answer seemed to satisfy her and she took his hand and gracefully leapt to the bank on which he stood. "Thank you, Thorondil. I… Please forgive me. Where I come from, there are no Elves." She paused. "Except for me, I guess, and I didn't even know I was one `til a couple of days ago."  
  
"I can see that you have journeyed far, for I have never seen clothing such as you wear, nor can I place the origin of your weapon."  
  
She looked down at herself and shrugged. What was so strange about her sturdy hiking boots, blue jeans, and tee shirt? The sword was a little much, she had to admit, but a woman had to protect herself. Besides, the Elf seemed to be keenly interested in it especially.  
  
"Would you like to see the sword?" she asked, and he nodded.  
  
She drew it in a graceful motion and offered it to him with both hands and a bow, just as she would do at Ken-do class. Thorondil gave her a bemused look and inspected the blade.  
  
"It is a katana; a sword from Japan," she explained. "That is a nation far away from here and even far from where I came from."  
  
"The shape is interesting," he agreed, "but the blade is far too dull for battle. We shall remedy that soon enough." He handed it back to her.  
  
She couldn't argue. "The blade is dull because I'm just a student. I don't want to hurt anyone."  
  
"But how do you protect yourself?"  
  
"I have a third degree black belt in Jujitsu," she said and was met with three bemused looks from the Elves. She sighed. "I'll show you if you want. One of you has to attack me." She set her pack on the ground and mentally prepared herself. "Go ahead. Try and grab me like you're going to beat me up."  
  
For a long moment, the three exchanged confused glances until suddenly one of Throrondil's friends obliged and lunged at her headlong. She simply stepped out of the way and he splashed into the water. He was up in a flash and grabbed her from behind. Before anyone really knew what happened, she sent him flying through the air over her head and onto a soft pile of leaves.  
  
All four of them laughed then, Thorondil regarding her with quiet amusement. "Come," he said at last, "We have far to travel, and Prince Legolas will be overjoyed to see you." 


	3. Llilwen

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
3.  
  
"Prince Legolas?" she asked as she picked up her pack and started to walk with the Elves. "Who is that?"  
  
"He is the heir to the throne of Mirkwood, Elenath. Do you not remember?"  
  
These Elves seemed to know, or seemed to think they know, an awful lot about her. She wasn't sure if that fact should frighten her or not. "I was only a baby when I left this place. How would I remember?"  
  
"Have you not begun to remember the life that you lived before this one?"  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked, "I don't understand."  
  
Thorondil walked on, speaking as if he had explained this a thousand times. In fact, he had done just that, but always before he had explained to Elves much younger than even this one. "When our kind die-"  
  
"Die? Grandmother told me that Elves are immortal." She blushed, realizing she had interrupted.  
  
"We are, to an extent. We can be slain in battle or simply fade away if life becomes too cumbersome. And when that happens, our spirits travel to Mandos until they are ready to be reborn."  
  
Elenath thought about this as she walked in silence for a long while and the others seemed to respect her thoughtfulness. Finally, she spoke softly. "Thorondil, how did I die?"  
  
He seemed to contemplate for a few minutes. "You died defending Prince Legolas from a vicious attack by orcs. You saved his life, and in doing so lost your own."  
  
"Am I supposed to remember this?"  
  
Thorondil nodded. "But do not worry or be afraid. It has been different for you than for most of our kind. Elves are not usually reborn as children. In your case, the Valar made an exception that you might be protected from the wrath of the orcs. Maybe someday yet you will remember."  
  
"I wish that I could remember… But then I am glad I cannot." She shuddered to think what an orc was.  
  
They hiked for hours after that through the forest until Elenath began to grow weary and stumble over tree roots, rocks, and, once, even her own feet. It had been early evening when she left her former home behind and now it was late afternoon here. She must have arrived just after dawn and had gone nearly 24 hours without sleep. Finally they stopped for a short rest, during which she lay her head against a tree and fell fast asleep.  
  
"How strange," said one of her companions. "She sleeps with her eyes closed."  
  
"Her father's mother was a half-elf," explained Thorondil. "Come, we must make haste to Legolas. The hour grows late and we do not want to be abroad this night."  
  
She stirred slightly when he lifted her, but did not wake. "I don't want to go to work," she mumbled, leaning her head against his shoulder.  
  
****  
  
Legolas, the heir to the throne of Mirkwood, had been watching the shadows move with the sun as it crossed the sky. He worried about the small scout party he had sent to the Northern border of the Wood. They should have returned hours ago with news of the enemy's movements. With his father away, he took his responsibility to keep the realm safe seriously. The sun was dipping low in the sky when he called a small party together to go in search of the missing Elves, and just as he was about to mount his horse, he was stopped.  
  
"Legolas. Look, they approach."  
  
The prince let out a relieved sigh and turned to see his scouts returning and Thorandil carrying something… or actually someone. Someone with long dark auburn curls and delicate features, he saw as the little party came nearer. She bore a strong resemblence to someone he had known, though it took a moment for him to place her. When he finally did, his eyes widened.  
  
"Elenath…" Legolas spoke the name as if it were a prayer, and as he did so a change came over his face. Brightness returned to his blue eyes and joy to the curve of his mouth. Even his long blond hair seemed to shine with new luster in the setting sun. He gazed at the Elf in Thorondil's arms. "Who is this?" he asked, hardly daring to hear the answer. "And why do you carry her so?"  
  
"Your wife has returned, Legolas," said Thorondil gently. "She has traveled a long way and is weary." He paused, seeming reluctant to continue. "Legolas… she remembers nothing. Not even our language."  
  
Trouble clouded the prince's eyes for the briefest of moments. "It matters not," he replied, just gazing at her as she slept. He never would have believed it possible, but she was even more beautiful than she had been in her previous form. "She is home at last and that is what matters." He leaned near and kissed her forehead lightly, whispering, "Cormamin lindua ele lle, Amaelamin. My heart sings to see thee, my beloved."  
  
****  
  
Elenath awoke briefly in the night to hear heavenly voices singing hauntingly beautiful melodies in a tongue she did not understand. Had she arrived in heaven, she wondered? For a brief moment, she thought about getting up out of bed to find where the lovely music was coming from. Then she changed her mind, afraid she would disturb the singers and cause them to stop. In a way, she thought she was still dreaming, but she also knew that she was fully awake, though she drifted in and out of slumber. That feeling lingered as she woke the next morning with a song on her lips.  
  
It came forth softly at first as she stretched luxuriously out on the bed and grew stronger as she rose and donned a silken robe that had been left for her. She sang as she carefully brushed her hair out and as she gazed out into the forest. The room that she was in reminded her of a gazebo, though shaped differently and attached to a large open structure. Columns surrounded her, the space in between them open to the lovely sights and sounds of the forest, but somehow the absence of solid walls did not disturb her here. She didn't care who could hear her, who could see her as she sang.  
  
"Where can I go from your Spirit?  
  
"Where can I flee from your presence?  
  
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;  
  
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  
  
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,  
  
If I settle on the far side of the sea,  
  
Even there your hand will guide me,  
  
Your right hand will hold me fast.  
  
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and  
  
The light become night around me,"  
  
Even the darkness will not be dark to you;  
  
The night will shine like the day,  
  
For darkness is as light to you…"  
  
[from the Psalms]  
  
The song trailed off and she hummed softly, beginning to realize fully where she was. Poor Thorondil must have carried me all this way unless I came here by magic, she thought, her song ending abruptly.  
  
"Why did you stop?" a female voice behind her asked. "I was enjoying your song."  
  
Elenath gasped in surprise, spinning around and dropping her hairbrush in the process. Her surprise doubled as she met the gaze of the Elf who stood there and could have sworn she was looking into her own eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words would come.  
  
The Elf in the doorway smiled and moved gracefully into the room. "I am sorry for startling you, Elenath. Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Y-yes. Thank you."  
  
She regarded Elenath for a long moment. "You have no memory of me, do you?"  
  
"I'm sorry. No. I seem to have no memory of anything in this world."  
  
"My name is Llilwen. I am your mother." Llilwen had come quite close now and she stooped to pick up the hairbrush.  
  
"My… mother?" The Elf did not look old enough to be her mother, but then, she reminded herself, Elves live forever and age much more slowly than human beings.  
  
"Yes. Twice have I given you birth. Twice have I lost you. And now I have found you again at last. I cannot tell you how happy I am that you are home. Nae saian luume. It has been too long." With that, she stepped forward and wrapped Elenath in a warm embrace.  
  
"Llilwen," Elenath whispered slowly as a shadow of a memory crept into her consciousness. "Perhaps I do remember you… almost."  
  
"There will be plenty of time for remembering," said Llilwen looking her daughter up and down, "But right now we must prepare you. Prince Legolas awaits your arrival along with all of Mirkwood."  
  
There was that name again. The one she had died to save. "I will meet with the Prince? I have never been in the presence of Royalty before, Llilwen. Will you show me how I am to act?"  
  
Her mother's musical laughter seemed to fill the room and even the wood beyond it. "Oh, Elenath. How does one usually act when greeting her husband after a long absence?"  
  
"My WHAT?" Elenath had never been one for fainting spells and did not intend to faint now, though the room seemed to tilt at an odd angle. She sank into a nearby chair and closed her eyes for a moment, taking deep breaths. "Thorondil failed to tell me that Prince Legolas is my husband." It felt strange to say that word, and she suddenly felt oddly cheated. She had been on precious few dates, had never been truly courted or proposed to, and now she found out she was married. She began to be afraid. "What if I don't like him? What if I don't want to be his wife? What if I don't want to be a princess? Will he toss me in the dungeon?"  
  
Llilwen did her best to calm her as she helped her daughter to bathe and arrange her waist-length hair prettily away from her face so that it cascaded beautifully down her back. The gown they chose was pale green and seemed to shimmer in the light.  
  
"You will like Legolas," said her mother. "He is gentle, good and kind, fierce in battle and skilled with the bow… and very handsome. Many an Elf maiden wept on the day that you married him. He would never do anything to hurt you, least of all lock you in a dungeon. He loves you very much. On the day that you died we almost lost him as well, so strong was his grief. As for being his wife, you already are that, the same as you are already a princess. Do not worry or be afraid. The memories will come."  
  
Elenath turned to her mother. "Will they?"  
  
"They always do, Lirimaer. Sometimes it just takes time."  
  
"What is Lirimaer?"  
  
"So many questions… Lirimaer means 'lovely one.'" She twined flowers through her daughter's hair and smiled at the effect.  
  
Elenath looked into a mirror and almost didn't recognize herself. The ears she had so long tried to hide were uncovered for the whole world to see, and she liked them. The flowers twined through her hair made her look like something from a fairy tale, and the color of her dress caught the hint of green in her hazel eyes perfectly.  
  
"Come," said her mother. "We are a little bit early. Let us surprise your husband." 


	4. A Long-Awaited Reunion

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
4.  
  
Elenath had never been so nervous in her life. She wrung her hands as she walked through the wood with her mother, trying to put herself into the shoes of the Prince. She knew he must remember every moment of their life together while she herself remembered nothing. He had loved her very much according to Llilwen. What would it be like for him to look into the eyes of his beloved after… how many years… and see no hint of recognition there? Well, Elenath had had her heart broken too many times in that other world to wish the same pain on anyone else. If the prince really did love her she would try her best to return that love. "Help me, Father," she prayed under her breath. "Help me remember him. Help me not to be afraid. Let him not be disappointed in me."  
  
Even though she had never met the Elf named Legolas, she still did not want to be dismissed by him. "Llilwen, how long has it been since I died?"  
  
"Fifty years," she answered, noting the almost panic-stricken look on her daughter's face. She stopped and took Elenath's hands in her own. "My daughter, why do you fear so?"  
  
"Do I look very different from the way I used to?"  
  
Llilwen smiled. "You bear a slight resemblence, as much as one might bear to a sister. You worry that Legolas will not like what he sees?"  
  
"Well, yes," she admitted, wringing her hands again.  
  
"Dismiss your fears, Daughter. He was the first to greet Thorondil who carried you home last night. Do you want to know what he said to me this morning?"  
  
"What?" asked Elenath nervously.  
  
"He said, 'I could not have imagined one more beautiful than the wife I said goodbye to fifty years ago, but she is, Llilwen. I was practically stricken speechless by her beauty.'"  
  
Elenath felt the warmth of a blush creep into her cheeks. A shy smile played on her lips for a moment, and then faded away.  
  
"Do not worry, and do not fear," continued her mother, "For the Prince most certainly liked what he saw last night."  
  
But Elenath could not help her fear or her worry. The fact remained that she did not remember Legolas, however he must love her, and she could not stand the thought of seeing the pain in his eyes when he realized this.  
  
  
  
Prince Legolas was pondering the very same thing as he drew back his bowstring and took aim at a target far off in the woods. It had been fifty years since he had held his wife in his arms. Fifty long years! Was it true that she remembered nothing? He had only gazed upon Elenath's sleeping face once since she returned to him, yet though her appearance was certainly different than before, he already knew that she was lovelier than ever. And the spirit within her… of course that would have remained unchanged.  
  
Her spirit had always been a veritable canvas of vibrant colors: the gentleness of a lamb mingled with the fierceness of a warrior; delicate femininity entwined with strong independence; cool detachment mixed with fiery passion. Her complexity, along with her beauty, was what had attracted Legolas to her in the first place; and now it was also what held him to her. That, and his love. His heart had never known such love.  
  
The arrow flew to its mark and he sighed, worrying that he would not be able to control himself in her presence. He longed to kiss her, hold her, caress her, whisper words of love in her ear. But he did not want to frighten her. He had waited for fifty years, and he would wait a thousand more if necessary.  
  
Footsteps sounded faintly in the wood and he set his bow and quiver aside, turning slowly to greet the two Elves who waited quietly beside him.  
  
Llilwen spoke softly to the pale, frightened Elf next to her. "There. There is Prince Legolas."  
  
Elenath could only stand there staring in unbelief, her hands trembling visibly despite her efforts to still them. He was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. Legolas stood a good six inches taller than herself; he had chiseled features and long blond hair adorned with a very few small braids. Her fear subsided a little bit when she saw his eyes. Eyes bluer than any sky she had ever beheld, and filled with more love than she thought could possibly be directed at her. How could she ever forget such eyes? Surely it would be impossible. Yet, try as she might to remember, she had no recollection of him.  
  
"Elenath…" he spoke her name softly and gazed at her as if he could not quite believe she was standing there before him.  
  
His voice sent shivers up her spine and suddenly her legs seemed to have a mind of their own. They carried her closer to him where she knelt on the leafy forest floor. Opening her mouth, she was utterly surprised at what came out. "Amin naa tuall Caun Legolas."  
  
The Prince was speechless for a moment. Choked with emotion, he took her hand and kissed it, sinking down next to her. "Melamin…" A tear trickled slowly down his cheek as he drank in the sight of her. "Vanimle sila tiri."  
  
She tore her gaze away from him and glanced back at her mother, questions in her eyes. Llilwen seemed to read her mind. "You just said, 'I am your servant, Prince Legolas.' It is in this way that you greeted him upon your first meeting over one thousand years ago." With that, she turned and walked away saying, "I will take my leave now."  
  
Elenath turned her gaze back Legolas who said, "My love, your beauty shines bright." He pulled her toward himself gently and held her close for a brief moment, realizing by the rapid beating of her heart and the slight tremble of her breath that she was still afraid. How could she be afraid of him? He felt a painful tugging at his heart but backed away at once and let her go. "I am sorry."  
  
"No," she said, "Don't be sorry. I… I just…" She reached up as if in a trance and brushed away the tear that still lingered on his cheek, her gaze one of unguarded curiosity.  
  
Her touch warmed him to his core. "You do not have to explain, Elenath. You have no memory of me, do you?" The question was asked very gently.  
  
"I don't remember you," she confirmed, "but I feel as if I should. And I don't know what came over me just then when I knelt…"  
  
He smiled, hope welling up within him. "Your memory is slowly returning. I have been told that it always begins thus."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"Saying things you did not expect to say, dreaming of things past…" he paused thoughtfully. "Often a simple touch will bring back a memory."  
  
Her brow furrowed a bit. "I want to remember… but then I don't. It's all so strange to me. My mind is full of questions."  
  
"Come," said Legolas, picking up the quiver and bow, "Walk with me, and I will answer your questions, if I am able." 


	5. Questions in the Wood

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
5.  
  
Legolas guided Elenath all around the realm of his father, over river and rill, under maple and evergreen as she asked question after question. "I have met my mother, but where is my father?"  
  
"Your father has traveled with my father to Rivendell. He councils with Elrond to-" he stopped, noticing the blank expression on her face. "He is traveling with my father on important business."  
  
The answer seemed to satisfy her. "Why did they abandon me in that other place? And how did the crossing point come to be? And can I ever go back?"  
  
He answered the second question first. "I do not know how it came to be, but the crossing point, called Andotempla, or Magic Gate, by our people was made long ago. It has been there for as long as I can remember."  
  
"And how long is that?"  
  
"Almost three thousand years," he answered, sitting down on a fallen log.  
  
She sat next to him. "Three thousand years? No wonder Thorondil called me 'Young One.'"  
  
Legolas chuckled. "He has the right. He is almost twice as old as I."  
  
Elenath tried to comprehend what the Elf was telling her, tried to imagine living for that long and she could not. "How old was I… before?"  
  
"You," he smiled, "were nearly two thousand years old."  
  
"Don't you tire of living?" she asked.  
  
He shook his head. "How could I when I have one as beautiful as you by my side?"  
  
There was that blush again. If Elenath could change one thing about herself, she would wish not to blush so easily.  
  
Legolas continued, "As for your other question, your parents abandoned you on the other side of Andotempla to save your life."  
  
"From what?"  
  
"Mirkwood used to be overrun with evil things. Orcs – hideous creatures. They prowled about the wood seeking to kill, steal, and destroy. You died fighting them… and you took their leader with you. That is why the orcs hated you so much. They swore they would find and destroy you when you came back, so you were gifted with a new body in hope that they would not be able to recognize you. Unfortunately, shortly after you were born, they learned of your identity and tried to hunt you down. It was then that you were brought to the crossing point and left with a human woman who was supposed to tell you who you were, where your true home was, and how much your people loved you, when you were old enough to understand."  
  
"Are the orcs still around?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "Though much reduced in numbers and scattered without their leader. The Elves who found you last night were patrolling for them…. It was lucky that Thorondil found you when he did. And as for your last question, Elenath, I do not know. The Gate opens for whomever it so wishes. I tried many times to pass through in search of you, but it was not to be. Thorondil tried as well."  
  
Thorondil intrigued her almost as much as did Legolas. "Why was Thorondil so interested in my sword?"  
  
"Because he is your mother's brother and he cares about your safety. Besides, he has always been interested in such things," chuckled the prince. "It is his way. He taught you everything you knew about how to fight, from the moment you could walk until…" his voice trailed away. "Until the moment you gave your life to save mine."  
  
"Tell me about that day," she requested softly.  
  
Pain clouded Legolas' face. "I cannot bear to remember, let alone speak of it, Elenath. Please do not ask me to do so."  
  
She sighed and gazed again into his eyes. "I wish I could remember the one who seems to have loved me so much."  
  
"I love you still," he replied. "And I will until the end of my life."  
  
She hardly knew him, yet that simple statement made up for a lifetime of loneliness, broken commitments, and jeering male voices. "Legolas?"  
  
"Yes, my love?"  
  
"What if I never remember our life together?"  
  
"You will remember."  
  
"But what if?"  
  
He smiled at her and traced a line down her cheek with the tip of his finger. "Then I shall have to court you until you fall in love with me anew."  
  
She smiled softly and stood up, beginning to walk away. "I think that I might enjoy that, Prince Legolas."  
  
He overtook her quickly and smiled. "Then it shall be so." He took her hand and escorted her into more populated areas. Now and then an Elf would greet the couple with a nod or a smile. Many reached out to grasp Elenath's hands as they passed, speaking brief words that she did not understand. Some even kissed her hands, her cheeks, or even her forehead.  
  
"News travels fast in Mirkwood," explained Legolas. "They are greeting you, Princess; welcoming you home."  
  
She giggled. "Princess! Only in childhood fantasies have I been given such a title."  
  
Legolas paused and looked at her, unbelieving. "Was there no prince in that other world who found his heart to be stolen by your beauty?"  
  
"You are too kind," she said, blushing, "Princes are hard to find where I come from. And if one ever had noticed me, it would have only been to laugh at my ears."  
  
Legolas' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why would anyone laugh at such delightfully lovely ears?" He brushed a tendril of hair behind one of them.  
  
She shrugged. "There are no Elves where I come from. Only humans, and humans do not have pointy ears."  
  
Legolas looked thoughtful for a moment. "It is not entirely true, what you said about there being no Elves where you come from. There was one sent after you through the Gate. I would be curious to know what befell him – if he ever found you or was able to help you in any way. He was a half-elf."  
  
"What was his name?" she asked.  
  
"Well, all of his human friends called him 'Mike.'"  
  
"Mike. Is he a tall guy, dark hair, brown eyes, little scar across his chin?" she asked.  
  
"Yes! That is him."  
  
She laughed. Pastor Mike. "Yes, he found me and he helped me. He was my Pastor. He helped me learn about spiritual things. But why did he not follow me back here?"  
  
Legolas shrugged. "Perhaps he has come to love that place and does not wish to leave."  
  
She sighed. "More likely, he has pity on those who live there and stays to offer them comfort."  
  
"Was it really so terrible?" he asked.  
  
"There is evil there. Things that I could never begin to describe to you." She thought of nuclear weapons, domestic violence, and the cruelty of men hungry for power and money. "If I had known how wonderful this world would be I would have…" Her voice trailed off.  
  
"Would have what, my love?"  
  
"I don't know. I just wish…" she felt suddenly very lonely.  
  
Seeming to sense this he squeezed her hand gently. "There were perhaps others in that world that you would have liked to bring with you?"  
  
Nodding, she replied, "There were two." And she told him about Kara, her best friend. "She has such a kind heart, always willing to help. She has this guitar," Elenath laughed, "and we used to stay up all night long writing songs. She wrote the music and I sang the words. She was always there for me when I needed her. Always. I cannot believe I left her behind… I guess my mind was just clouded by the grief of losing my grandmother… and the desire to see if this place really existed."  
  
"And who is the other?" asked Legolas.  
  
Elenath drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "His name is David," she said. "He taught me martial arts and swordplay."  
  
She seemed to want to continue but did not, and Legolas began to worry. "Do you love him, this David?"  
  
The tiniest of smiles tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Yes … no …" she shook her head and looked at the Prince. "Forgive me. Yes, I love him but not in the way that you mean."  
  
"I do not understand," he said.  
  
"David is like… he is like a brother to me. Does that make sense?"  
  
Legolas nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Tell me about him."  
  
Elenath smiled and said, "He is probably really mad at me right now, running off like I did." Then suddenly her smile faded. "David would have loved it here. I would not be in the least surprised if you told me he were an Elf. It was always as if he had come from some other place, or some other time."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well," she tried to explain, "For example, he pledged his sword and his life to protect me a few months ago. Just out of the blue, he got all serious and knelt in front of me right in the middle of a crowded park and said, 'I will follow you anywhere to protect you.'"  
  
Legolas thought that he might like to meet and thank the person who had sworn to protect his wife, the Princess of Mirkwood. "What is so strange about that?"  
  
"It just isn't done in that other world. For one thing, most people do not carry swords. For another… nobody cares about anyone else like that! It is a very selfish world." She paused. "When I asked him later what he meant by his promise, he said, 'I meant just what I said.' When I asked him why, he could only shrug and tell me he knew… somehow he knew that I was different and special and very important. He said he would not be surprised to find out," she laughed at the irony of it, "that I was a fairy princess of some sort."  
  
"Elven princess," corrected Legolas, "He could probably sense your nobility just by looking at you." He smiled. "I would have liked to meet your friends. To thank David and hear the songs that you sang with Kara."  
  
At that moment, a merry band of Elves approached, singing and dancing along the path. They stopped before the Royal couple and bowed. "Prince Legolas and Princess Elenath, Tula vasa ar yulna en emereth! Come, eat and drink of the feast! There will be much merriment this night to welcome home the one who was lost and is now found!"  
  
The prince smiled. "And who has arranged for this great feast?"  
  
"Have you not heard, O Prince? Your father King Thranduil returned from Rivendell today! He was overjoyed to hear the news of Princess Elenath's return."  
  
Elenath knew what this meant. Her father had also returned and she was in for yet another meeting with someone who loved her and whom she did not remember. She wasn't sure how much more she could take and grew very quiet as they walked toward the woodland palace.  
  
Legolas watched her as they walked, saw the worry crease her brow and his heart went out to her. He put a hand gently on her shoulder. "Elenath, Mani naa taa? What is it that worries you, Beautiful One?"  
  
She sighed, half from the warmth of his compliment and half out of dread. "I go to meet a father I cannot remember. I wish I could just remember everything and be done with it!"  
  
"Do not wish for such things," he said gently. "It would be too much for you all at once. You must have patience."  
  
"Patience has never been one of my strengths, Legolas."  
  
"Patience comes easily when you remember that we have an eternity to work out the puzzles of life," he said. "For twenty-five years you have believed that you are a mortal human. That belief weighs heavily on you. Hear me Elenath! You are not a mortal!"  
  
The firm tone of his voice startled her a little bit but it seemed to do the trick. The truth of his words began to sink in. What was the rush? Why hurry? She had forever to remember; forever to live; forever to love, forever to recall her father and mother. Realizing this, she stopped on the path and laughed.  
  
The entire party stopped and looked back, but the prince waved them on. "Tell my father that we respectfully send our love and will join him…" he glanced at his wife who looked about as if she had been given new eyes. "We will join him when the time is right," he said at last.  
  
The sound of the party faded down the path as Elenath turned to Legolas and smiled. "I am sorry. You must think that I am a very strange Elf indeed. Laughing at nothing and-" she spun around a couple of times- "dancing when there is no music."  
  
He found himself laughing with her. "I love seeing you like this," he said, "so young and full of wonder at everything in the world. Did you not realize that you would live forever?"  
  
"Not really, until just now," she replied. "And I feel so much better about everything, Legolas. Thank you. Let's go and meet our fathers."  
  
As they walked, she began to sing about magical gates, enchanted forests and beautiful Elven princes named Legolas. The prince walked alongside her, his heart filling anew with awe and wonder at the world around him and especially at the Lady beside him. 


	6. Attack on the Prince

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
6.  
  
Elenath and Legolas entered the Great Hall of King Thranduil hand-in-hand and smiling, and all around Elenath heard the lilting tongue of the Elves. She wished that she could understand what they were saying because it seemed that all eyes were upon her. She was feeling much more confident than she had that morning and met their admiring gazes with gracious smiles and even reached out to clasp hands with a few that she recognized from her long walk with Legolas.  
  
She was especially happy to see Thorondil and wrapped him in an exuberant hug. "Why did you not tell me you are my Uncle?"  
  
He was delighted and kissed her cheek. "I did not wish to overwhelm you, Elenath. And I could scarcely believe you had finally returned."  
  
Continuing on her path to the king, she looked back at Thorondil. "I can scarcely believe it either, Uncle. I look forward to our first lesson."  
  
They had almost reached the throne of King Thranduil when Elenath met the eyes of a raven-haired Elf who stood to the left of the throne, smiling. As soon as their eyes met, a memory flashed through her mind; followed quickly by another and another until her mind reeled with them and she held tight to Legolas' hand to keep from losing her balance. He slipped an arm around her waist to help steady her as happy tears came to her eyes.  
  
"What do you remember?" he asked softly in her ear.  
  
She did not answer him but suddenly broke loose from his embrace, launching herself at the raven-haired Elf who now stood with arms open wide. "Ada! (Dad!)" she cried as she lost herself in his embrace. "I remember you, and our moonlit walks through the wood and songs sung late at night and…" her voice trailed off. "It is good to see you again!"  
  
"Iellamin (My Daughter)," he chuckled delightedly, "Welcome home. Welcome home!"  
  
Legolas watched, laughing with the rest of the Elves as the happy father and daughter embraced. It was only a matter of time now, he knew, until she would remember him as well. Llilwen appeared at his side smiling. "She wins all of our hearts anew. It is as if she never left us."  
  
"She has certainly won mine, Lady Llilwen," agreed the Prince as Elenath's father escorted her back to him.  
  
"I am sorry, Legolas," she said almost breathlessly as he took her hand again.  
  
"Do not be. You and your father have always been inseparable. It almost killed him to leave you on the other side of the Gate."  
  
Finally, they greeted the King, who turned his attention first to his son.  
  
"Legolas," said King Thranduil, "You are looking very well, my son. Better, in fact than I have seen you in many years." He smiled. "Perhaps it has something to do with the return of your lovely Princess?"  
  
"Yes, Father. I feel as if life has been handed to me anew."  
  
The King turned his attention to Elenath who offered a low curtsy. "Your Highness," she greeted him and he pulled her near and kissed her cheek.  
  
"You have brought the joy back into my son's eyes," he whispered.  
  
The merriment went on for two days with such feasting, dancing, music, and tale telling as she had never known or even dared dream of. The foods were unfamiliar but wonderful to taste; the wine potent and sweet. She had to be careful not to drink too much too fast. The elaborate dances intimidated her at first, but Legolas coaxed her gently until she joined him. At first she only muddled through, but soon enough her feet seemed to remember the steps and she spun faster and faster with the others until she fell dizzily into Legolas' arms. There she stayed while she listened to the heavenly Elven music, enjoying his closeness and sighing at his voice when he joined in the singing. She began to nod off during the tales, the rhythmic Elven tongue lulling her until she felt herself being lifted and she shook herself awake.  
  
"Let me walk," she protested. "I still feel terrible that Thorondil carried me all that way."  
  
"Manka lle merna. As you wish," Legolas said softly squeezing her before setting her down. "May I escort you to your room?"  
  
She smiled up at him. "Someone needs to or I'll get lost for sure."  
  
He kissed her forehead gently when they reached the doorway. "Seek me out when you wake, beloved. I will be counting the moments until I see you again."  
  
She could only nod and gaze at him starry-eyed. She had never fallen so hard so fast for anyone. Her eyes did not leave his until he finally turned to go.  
  
"Legolas?"  
  
He turned silently to face her.  
  
Elenath sighed and thought hard for a moment. "Diolla lle. Thank you."  
  
"Why do you thank me, Melamin (My Love)?"  
  
"Because you waited for me," she replied.  
  
He took both of her hands and kissed them. "I would have waited forever."  
  
***  
  
The next morning when she began to wake up she felt something soft and silky on her face and hands, under her fingertips and upon her bare shoulders. Opening her eyes, she gasped, and then giggled. The whole chamber, including her bed and herself, had been covered in rose petals.  
  
Her mother's laugh joined her own only a moment later as she entered the room. "Good morning, Elenath," she smiled, "It appears that you have an admirer. Oh! But it smells heavenly in here!"  
  
"Who did this?" she whispered, sitting up and looking around. The petals hung in her hair and stuck to her skin.  
  
"I should hope it was Prince Legolas," laughed Llilwen. "No one else would dare. Courtship is a sacred ritual among our people. Come, your part is now to wake him with a song."  
  
They got ready quickly, crushing some of the petals between their fingers and rubbing the fragrance in Elenath's hair and on her skin. Six perfect thornless roses had been left intact on the small bedside table and her mother wove them into a crown for her, setting them gently atop Elenath's head and choosing a silvery white gown. The effect was quite dramatic and the princess had never felt so beautiful in her life.  
  
Legolas' room was not far from her own, just down the hall and around a corner or two. She peeked shyly inside, wondering what she would sing and gasped, jumping back out of the doorway. "He is already awake!" she whispered to her mother.  
  
Llilwen peeked around the corner and whispered, "No, he still rests, though his eyes are open. Most of our kind do not close their eyes to sleep. You will get used to this." She began to walk away. "I will see you at breakfast!"  
  
Elenath took a deep breath. What to sing? Her mind shuffled through a thousand love songs, but none were quite right. So she made one up, singing softly from the doorway.  
  
"Who am I to have won your heart  
  
O beautiful Golden Prince?  
  
I am but a wonderer traveling through,  
  
My home such a long way hence.  
  
"But in your arms I might well rest  
  
Forever and a day  
  
If you can convince my wondering heart  
  
That you wish for me to stay.  
  
"O kiss me with the kisses of your mouth  
  
For your love is more pleasing than wine  
  
Shower me with your kisses, my love  
  
Your kiss is more pleasing than wine!"  
  
The Prince blinked once, then twice and turned his head to look at her, smiling.  
  
She continued, gazing steadily into his eyes.  
  
"I'm lost and alone in this faraway land  
  
And I fear that there is much to learn  
  
But if you would allow me to stay here, my Lord  
  
For home I will nevermore yearn.  
  
"Oh kiss me with the kisses of your mouth  
  
For your love is more pleasing than wine  
  
Shower me with your kisses my love  
  
Your kiss is more pleasing than wine!"  
  
With that, not knowing what else to do, she turned and walked slowly toward the great hall, blushing wildly. Where had that song come from? She had never even felt his kisses, at least not in her memory.  
  
She reached the great hall, which was already full of breakfasting Elves and sat down next to her mother. The two exchanged knowing glances and shared a long laugh at the secret ritual that had just taken place.  
  
"Did you wake him?" asked Llilwen quietly after ten minutes of small talk.  
  
Elenath did not have to answer her as Legolas appeared suddenly at her side and swept her up into his arms. "My love," he whispered warmly in her ear, "Have you remembered my kisses or were you just imagining them?"  
  
She gazed happily into his eyes, surprised that she was not trying to push him away as she would with any other man who snuck up behind her like that. "I… I don't know," she said breathlessly.  
  
"Tualle," he replied, "I will help you to remember." With that he brushed her lips softly with his, expecting then to release her. But she looked at him with such trust in her eyes that he kissed her again with a slow and gentle passion that warmed her to her toes and brought back the shadow of a memory to her.  
  
Moonlight. A bridge near a waterfall. Sweet whispers and gentle caresses. And those eyes gazing at her with such love. Legolas' eyes.  
  
"Ahem…" The sound barely reached her ears as she clung to Legolas, lost in her memory.  
  
It took her a moment to realize that Thorondil was trying to get their attention. She stepped away from Legolas reluctantly and turned her attention to her uncle who stood chuckling at them.  
  
"If His Highness has a moment," he began with a friendly smirk, "We have captured two intruders and are at a loss as to what to do. They ask for one called Summer Templeton."  
  
Elenath went pale. "That was my name when I lived on the other side of the Gate."  
  
At this Thorondil became very serious. "They have been very demanding, violent really, in asking for you, Princess. Did you have many enemies on the other side?"  
  
"No, Uncle. None that would harm me." She wondered who it could be, hoped against hope to see Kara and David. "Perhaps you can bring them in?"  
  
He nodded and left the room as Legolas wrapped her in a possessive embrace from behind. "Be careful, Melamin. We do not know who they are."  
  
She only nodded in reply and let out a relieved breath when she saw David being escorted under heavy guard and Kara apparently asleep in the arms of one of the Elves. David looked about himself as if in complete awe of everything, unbelieving, and not a little afraid.  
  
"We take you to the Prince," David was told, and his eyes seemed to search the great hall, landing on the empty thrones and then the long tables set with a great banquet.  
  
Finally, David's eyes met Elenath's, traveled to the Prince's, and filled with rage. She knew right away that he wasn't himself. He wasn't thinking straight. He thought she was in some kind of danger.  
  
"Jesus…" was all she had time to pray before he moved like lightening and acquired one of the guard's swords. Why had she allowed herself to be left unarmed? He was coming fast and she reached back instinctively to the last place she saw a sword – at Legolas' waist – and drew it with a long hissing metallic sound. Not a moment too soon she swung it around to block the powerful blow that David had aimed at the Prince's head. Sparks flew as the two Elven blades met. A dozen archers surrounded them in an instant; arrows nocked and fixed on David. Seeing this, she shouted, "Drop your weapons!" and her eyes locked with those of her old friend.  
  
His eyes were full of surprise and questions; full of confusion and then, suddenly, understanding. He stepped back and sent his blade clattering to the floor, lifting his hands in the air. She had never seen him speechless before and it was a little unnerving to see him that way now. 


	7. David and Kara

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
7.  
  
Elenath wasn't sure what to do. David stood before her, brown hair tousled, anger and concern in his blue eyes, every inch of his muscular frame tensed, though he stood in a posture that said "I surrender." She wanted to hug him and yell at him for attacking Legolas all at once. Instead she turned to her husband and returned the intricately carved blade with many apologies. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes, thanks to you… again," he said, returning the weapon to its scabbard.  
  
She turned her attention back to David then who seemed to be recovering slowly from his speechlessness. "Summer?" he said and she could stand it no more. She ran to him and let herself be hugged and kissed by the young man who was, for the first time since she met him, having trouble keeping his emotions in check. She was not surprised to find that happy tears were falling from her own eyes as well.  
  
"David!" she gasped, "I thought I'd never see you again!"  
  
Finally regaining his composure, he looked at her, a serious expression on his face. "What in the HELL were you thinking, coming out here all by yourself?"  
  
"Well I-"  
  
"You could have been killed! Kidnapped! Raped or worse! You know better than to pull a stunt like this, Summer Templeton. I know you know better because I taught you myself!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a couple of times. "Didn't I tell you I would follow you anywhere? Didn't I? Why didn't you call me?"  
  
The Prince began to step forward but Elenath held up her hand to stop him. "You are right, David," she said, "I was stupid to come out here by myself and I'm sorry. I don't know why I didn't call you."  
  
His tone softened a bit. "We were worried sick, Summer. We thought… Everyone thinks you're dead. And now look at you! You're wearing a dress! I was so shocked when I saw you I thought I must have been dreaming. And I thought you were in some kind of trouble…."  
  
She shook her head. "Honestly, David. Do I look as if I am being kept prisoner here? You just tried to kill…" she almost said, "my husband," but thought better of it… "the Prince of Mirkwood."  
  
"And for that I most profusely apologize." He nodded to the Prince who looked on curiously along with the other Elves in the Hall.  
  
She looked at him, speechless for a long moment before she finally blurted, "How on earth did you find me?"  
  
"Pastor Mike told us how to find you. Of course we thought you'd both gone crazy at first with those notes you left, but… we had to try."  
  
"And what's up with Kara?" Elenath walked over to her slumbering friend and gasped at what she saw. The left side of Kara's face was black and blue, her arms bruised and battered. She had to look closely to be sure her friend was still breathing. She turned on the Elves who brought them in, fire in her eyes. "Who DID this to her?"  
  
David's calming hand was on her shoulder immediately. "It was not your new friends," he said softly. "She will tell you what happened when she wakes. And then we can take you home."  
  
Prince Legolas paled at this comment and he stepped forward to protest, but Elenath stopped him with a glance.  
  
"David," she said gently, "This is my home."  
  
"What do you mean? Your students at the dojo miss you. Your Sunday school class is beside themselves with grief. The hospital is short one very good nurse. And you see what's happened to Kara."  
  
"What do I have to do with Kara's condition?" she asked, her eyes wide.  
  
He shook his head, unwilling to speak.  
  
"David, look around, okay? Look at me and look around and tell me that I have not come home. This is where I belong!"  
  
"Then you will not return with us?"  
  
"Then you will not stay?" she shot back.  
  
David scowled. "Summer, I told you once not long ago that I would follow you anywhere to see to your safety, and I meant it. My sword and my life are yours to command. If you stay, then so will I."  
  
They regarded each other in contemplative silence for a long moment.  
  
"We have much to discuss," she told him finally. "Let me take care of Kara and then… may I offer you some tea, David?"  
  
He stood up and nodded. "Tea sounds like a good idea." 


	8. A Proposal Over Tea

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
8.  
  
Kara did not stir as she was made comfortable in an Elven bed, even as her silky raven-black hair was brushed and her wounds tended by palace servants who stared and stared at her copper skin.  
  
"Call me if she wakes," Elenath said to them before she left in search David. She found him where she had left him in the great hall still looking around in utter awe. Prince Legolas intercepted her before she reached him.  
  
"Elenath, I meant to tell you… I enjoyed your song this morning," Legolas said, leaning near to her. He lightly kissed her cheek before whispering, "Diolla Lle, Merilamin (Thank you, My Rose)."  
  
She replied ever so quietly into his ear, "I enjoyed your kiss and would sing a thousand songs to win another. I remembered something about a waterfall and a bridge…"  
  
"We have spent much time among the waterfalls and bridges of Rivendell," he said, lightly touching her cheek. "Perhaps we can speak of it soon, but right now we have your guests to tend. Are they in need of anything?"  
  
"I only need a private place to speak with David."  
  
"I will not leave you alone with him," he said, "until I know for sure that he has control of himself."  
  
"He's not going to hurt me, Legolas."  
  
"I will not take any chances," said the prince.  
  
She yielded with a nod. "I need a kettle of hot water and tea leaves. And cups. Three of them if you will be in attendance."  
  
"Consider it done," said the prince, already giving orders to servants.  
  
Moments later Elenath found herself seated at a small ornate table in an especially beautiful palace chamber. David sat across from her while Legolas looked on from the side.  
  
Legolas watched curiously as his wife made quite a ceremony of pouring the hot water, adding tealeaves, mixing, and turning the cup a certain way before bowing and handing it to him. She did the same for David who also bowed as he received it, and then for herself. From that point on, as they drank the bitter liquid, no words were spoken. Only meaningful glances passed between Elenath and David – glances, thought the prince, which spoke volumes. When the cups were all finally empty and everyone was much more relaxed than they had been, Elenath finally put her cup down on the table and said, "Welcome to Mirkwood, David."  
  
He shook his head and smiled. "Mirkwood…"  
  
"You are now among the Elves," she said, "If you hadn't figured that out."  
  
"Of which you are one," he commented. "You said as much in your letter."  
  
"I have much to tell you."  
  
David nodded. "I can't argue with that. But first, Lady, I… have a proposition to make."  
  
She raised her eyebrows in question.  
  
"Look," he said, "I know this isn't very romantic and we aren't even alone. But… You know that saying, 'You don't know what you've got till it's gone?' I've done a lot of thinking since you left. A lot of thinking about us."  
  
"There is no us, David. You made that clear years ago. You are not the type who wants to settle down with a wife. End of story. So don't go there. Please."  
  
"I have to," he said, "It's true I've always told you that I'm not the kind of guy to want to settle down with anyone. But you're different, Summer. Something about you just…. You need to be protected. And I would be honored if you would agree to let me protect you, as your husband." He slid down onto the floor on one knee. "Summer Templeton, will you marry me?"  
  
Legolas' teacup went crashing to the floor and Elenath sat straight up in her chair. "David, please!"  
  
"I am completely serious," he said.  
  
"You can't be! You can't! I've had a crush on you since I was ten and now suddenly you want to marry me? David, as flattered as I am, I can't marry you!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because," she said, "I am already married." 


	9. Kara's Story

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
9.  
  
"WHAT?" Demanded David. Much to Elenath's amusement, there was a great deal of relief evident in her friend's face, along with the surprise.  
  
She laughed. "Even you can't hide how relieved you are, David. Sometimes I think that you take your self-imposed duty a little bit too seriously. You don't want to get married any more than I want to eat a big 'ol bowl of lima beans."  
  
He looked sheepishly up at her and shrugged. "Well, if I had to get married, I would want you to be my wife."  
  
She motioned to his chair, "I'll take that as a compliment from you. Have a seat, and I'll tell you everything."  
  
"Who did you marry? And are you happy?" he asked, settling back in his chair and shaking his head. "You've only been here for a couple of days. What was it, an arranged marriage?"  
  
Elenath looked over at the prince and smiled. "I can't explain it, David, but yes. I'm very, very happy. And please meet my husband, Prince Legolas, heir to the throne of Mirkwood." She smiled and motioned to the Elf who had only just recovered from the shock of watching someone propose to his wife.  
  
David was mortified. His head dropped into his hands. "I tried to kill your husband. Then I proposed to you right in front of him. Summer, I am so sorry. Prince Legolas…" He could do nothing but shake his head. "Please accept my apology."  
  
Legolas would have forgiven almost anything at that moment, having heard Elenath's declaration of happiness. He shook his head. "You thought that Elenath was in danger, and you wanted to protect her. I would have done the same."  
  
"What is that you just called her?" asked David.  
  
"Elenath. Among the Elves, her name is Elenath. It means…" he thought for a moment. "The closest translation would be 'night sky' or 'the stars.'"  
  
David looked over at Elenath for a long moment. He had never seen her look so beautiful, the roses matching the slight blush in her cheeks; her skin seeming to shimmer in the sunlight that streamed into the chamber. "Elenath…" he chuckled. "I wish that jerk who stood you up for the prom could see you now."  
  
She just laughed. "Me too, I must admit." And she spent the next two hours explaining everything she had learned since her arrival in Mirkwood.  
  
"I always knew you were a fairy princess," David said when she had finished.  
  
"Elven princess," she corrected him with a grin.  
  
At that moment a maidservant appeared in the doorway of the chamber and spoke softly, "The one called Kara is awake."  
  
Elenath leapt to her feet. "Excuse me," she bowed to David and reached out her hands to the prince. "I will return to the feast as soon as I am able."  
  
They watched her leave the room, her step hurried and full of concern for her friend.  
  
David turned to Legolas. "You are one very lucky Elf," he said, merriment in his eyes, "With all due respect, I hope that you're worthy of her."  
  
"I hope so too." Legolas was dead serious. "Thank you for looking after her on the other side of the Gate."  
  
"It was my honor," replied David, "and my pleasure. In fact, I plan to continue looking after her, and if you ever do anything to hurt her – Your Highness – so help me, I'll kill you." With that he bowed and walked away, smiling as the Prince's laughter echoed down the corridor. They understood each other very well, it seemed.  
  
***  
  
Kara was out of bed and dressed in an Elven gown when Elenath arrived at her chamber. The swelling in her face had gone down considerably and the bruises were barely visible. In her three years of nursing at the local hospital, Elenath had never seen anything like it.  
  
"Elvish medicine must be powerful stuff," she said softly and her friend spun around and launched herself at her, hugging her so tightly she could not breathe.  
  
"Summer? Look at you!" she exclaimed. "You're wearing a dress!"  
  
Elenath laughed. "That's the same thing David said when he saw me. I didn't realize how shocking that would be to you guys."  
  
"You look absolutely radiant," she added, sitting down on the bed.  
  
"You don't look half bad yourself," replied Elenath.  
  
Kara looked into a mirror and shook her head. "So what is this place? Are we in Heaven?"  
  
"I wondered the same thing when I woke up here. No, we're not in Heaven."  
  
"Elves, Summer? You went off to search for Elves…"  
  
"I know it must have sounded crazy to you-"  
  
"You went off searching for Elves and you left me behind?!"  
  
Elenath smiled at her friend. "I did, and it's one of the stupidest things I've ever done. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."  
  
"Well, have you found them?"  
  
"Yes. This is their king's palace." Elenath took a deep breath. "Oh, Kara, what happened to you? Who gave you those bruises?"  
  
She shook her head bitterly. "My husband did."  
  
"Kyle?!"  
  
"Yes, Kyle. The jerk. I can't believe it. He was so nice before we got married… Then on the honeymoon cruise he started getting weird. Our first night back home I was so tired and I didn't want to… and he did… and he beat the crap out of me." She bravely choked back a sob. "But I held my own. I'm still alive anyway."  
  
Elenath's heart went out to her friend. Kyle had seemed like a perfect gentleman. Every girl's idea of a knight in shining armor. "Oh, Kara…" She held her friend in a comforting hug.  
  
"I ran out of the house and got in the car – Thank God we only have one – and came right over to your Grandma's house. I was pretty sure you'd be there and not at your apartment since she's been so sick." Kara's tears were really flowing now. "I… I'm sorry to hear that she died," she said and broke down sobbing.  
  
"Shhh…. Kara, it's okay. You're safe now…"  
  
"I found your note there and just passed out right on the kitchen floor. That's where David found me the next morning."  
  
A stab of guilt seared through Elenath's heart and she also began to cry. "Oh Kara, I'm so sorry. After all of the times you've been there for me and the one time you need me I've run off looking for Elves!"  
  
With that, the girls looked at each other and laughed through their tears. "Elves!"  
  
"I thought you'd lost your mind for sure," Kara hiccupped.  
  
"I think I did there for a while. How else could I have left the way that I did?" sniffled Elenath. "But then I found myself here… and… it's so wonderful. Please tell me you'll stay here forever with me. Kyle can't find you here and David has already agreed to stay."  
  
"Are you kidding?" she asked, "You think I'd leave the Garden of Eden to go back to that pit we came from? Of course I'll stay."  
  
"You seem to think that Middle Earth is a perfect paradise," came a quiet voice from the doorway.  
  
Elenath turned abruptly to see who was there. "Uncle Thorondil!"  
  
He smiled a little sadly, holding a sheathed sword in his hand. "The realm of Northern Mirkwood is indeed a wonderful and beautiful place, and you are safe here. However, beyond the borders, there are many dangers and much evil. We never leave Thranduil's kingdom unarmed. Indeed it is wise to carry a weapon any time you leave the palace."  
  
"Legolas told me about the orcs," said Elenath, trying to hide her tears, wiping them away.  
  
"He was wise to do so. There are orcs and there are other creatures that will kill anything they can get their hands on. Here." He handed her the weapon in his hand. "You proved this morning that you have at least a basic knowledge of sword technique, even without remembering all of the years that you trained with me. Keep it at your side at all times."  
  
She pulled the blade from its sheath and was in awe of its beauty. It shone brighter than silver or gold and had swirling patterns engraved on the hilt. "It's beautiful, and light as a feather. Is it strong?"  
  
"Much stronger than the weapon you arrived with, and much sharper. It will do until the sword that really belongs to you can be retrieved from Rivendell."  
  
She looked at him, questioning. "Rivendell?"  
  
"The place of your birth. Prince Legolas sent our fastest riders out this morning. They should be back in four weeks' time if they are not attacked or held up. And if your Grandfather Lord Elrond does not insist they stay for a time. He is renowned for his hospitality. One day soon, we shall take you to visit him."  
  
With that he stood up and left the room, leaving Kara gaping at the doorway. "That's your Uncle?"  
  
Elenath nodded.  
  
"He doesn't look any older than me!" she said.  
  
"He's about five thousand years old," smiled Elenath and began to explain everything she had just told to David.  
  
She had just finished telling Kara about Legolas with many blushes and giggles when the Prince arrived at the door with an apologetic look on his face.  
  
"I am sorry to intrude," he said, "But if you do not object my father requests your presence in the great hall. Many are asking after their Princess. And… David and I have a gift for you, Kara."  
  
Elenath stood up. "Yes, of course. We'll be right there. I'm sorry I was gone so long."  
  
He smiled and took her hand. Brushing his lips across the back of it he sighed, "Lle naa vanima, Merilamin," before taking his leave.  
  
To her surprise, she understood him and a deep blush crept into her cheeks.  
  
"What did he say?" whispered Kara when he had gone.  
  
Elenath just sighed.  
  
"You'd better tell me or else I'll … I'll do something horrible to you in the middle of the night!"  
  
She laughed. "Okay, okay. He said, 'You are beautiful, My Rose.'"  
  
Kara sighed. "So… um… does this Prince of yours have a brother?"  
  
Elenath shook her head. "Come on. Let's go… You won't believe the party that's waiting for us." 


	10. A Dance for Her Husband

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings, their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
10.  
  
Elenath felt that life could not be any more perfect. She swept into the Great Hall with her best friend at her side, laughing at Kara's description of David's reaction to being taken captive by Elves.  
  
"Really, it was hilarious," she said. "He was like, 'What is this? Don't point that thing at me pretty boy! Where is Summer? I demand to see Summer!"  
  
Their bubbling laughter echoed though the Hall as Legolas and David met them at the entrance and escorted them to their seats at the great banqueting table.  
  
Kara's eyes grew large. "Wow! This really is like heaven. You know… like that Bible Verse about the banquet hall…"  
  
Elenath nodded, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Song of Songs Chapter 2 Verse 3…  
  
'Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest  
  
is my lover among the young men.'"  
  
She looked up into Legolas' eyes. "'I delight to sit in his shade,  
  
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.  
  
He has taken me to the banquet hall,  
  
and his banner over me is love.  
  
Strengthen me with raisins,  
  
refresh me with apples,  
  
for I am faint with love.'"  
  
"You will have to sing this Song of Songs for me," Legolas whispered in Elenath's ear, so quietly that only she could hear him.  
  
"I will sometime," she answered equally softly.  
  
He smiled in delight as Kara swatted her. "I only meant the part about the banquet hall! You love-sick thing you!"  
  
Over dinner, Elenath spoke mostly to her two friends as Legolas listened with great interest.  
  
"How are my kids?" she asked them, causing her husband's eyes to widen.  
  
Kara laughed at him. "It's a figure of speech, Legolas. Elenath mentored a group of teenagers back home. She calls them her kids."  
  
"They're struggling, El," said David. "They think you're dead. They miss you, and they don't understand why God would let this happen."  
  
Elenath sighed. "Even Marcus?"  
  
"Marcus has been a great leader for those guys," replied Kara, "but this is a lot of weight to put on one 18-year-old's shoulders. They have many questions, and he doesn't have any answers. He's been quiet."  
  
"He says he knows you're still alive somewhere," added David. "And, as usual, he is right."  
  
Elenath shook her head. "I wish I could have said goodbye to them."  
  
"They'll be okay, El," said Kara. "They're tough and they'll pull through this."  
  
The princess nodded and changed the subject. She and her human friends spoke of strange and wonderful things that Legolas and the other Elves seated nearby had never heard of. Automobiles, movies, airplanes, and electricity seemed to interest the Elves quite a bit, but Kara and Elenath's discussion about their work at the hospital intrigued them. They could not get enough of hearing about blood transfusions, CAT scans, and open-heart surgery.  
  
After the tables had been cleared and Elenath tired of telling stories from the emergency room, a small group of Elven craftsmen presented Kara with the most beautiful, ornate guitar she had ever seen.  
  
Elenath was so excited that she jumped up and down and clapped. "It will be just like old times!"  
  
Kara could only thank the Elves again and again and was otherwise speechless. She set about tuning it at once.  
  
"David showed us how to make it," they said. "A most interesting instrument. Will you play for us?"  
  
She nodded. "If you like, I'll play a song from where I was born." Grinning, she added, "Elenath will dance."  
  
"I'll what?" she asked. "No way!"  
  
Kara played a bar or two of lively Mexican music, stopping to fine-tune the strings. The guitar had a bit of an otherworldly resonance to it but the intonation and quality of sound were perfect. "Yes you will. Ever since I taught you Flamenco, you have said you wanted to dance it for your husband one day. Well, today is the day!"  
  
She looked down at herself. "I can't Flamenco in this!"  
  
"Sure you can." She set the guitar aside and got up to assess the situation. "The skirt is plenty full enough. Look." She took the silver- flecked overskirt and held it out to demonstrate. "All you need is…" She gently removed the roses and took the hair tie out of her own hair, using it to put Elenath's hair in a loose bun, revealing the smooth curves of her neck and shoulders. The Elves looked on, intrigued. "And maybe…" Kara stepped back for a moment and looked. "Just a little…" Reaching forward with a sly grin, she slid the loose straps of Elenath's dress just barely off her shoulders.  
  
"Kara!" Elenath was bright red.  
  
"Well," Kara defended herself, "You can't Flamenco with your shoulders all covered up like that. Ruins the whole mood. Okay, ready!" She clapped her hands as if she were a dance instructor lining her pupils up for recital.  
  
Elenath reluctantly assumed the starting position for the dance she had done so many times in the privacy of her own apartment over the past few years. She took a deep breath.  
  
The music started and she stepped forward toward the Prince, immediately losing herself in the rhythm. The music seemed to move her. The sweep of her skirt, punctuated clapping of her hands, and flirtatious glances into Legolas' eyes as she danced around him combined to awe both the Elves and Kara who had never seen her friend dance quite like this.  
  
As Legolas stood watching her, he had to fight for control of himself. This was a dangerous dance – a dance full of passion. No wonder she had saved it for her husband and no one else. Elenath had not even touched him. Not even once. Yet his skin felt as if it were on fire and he longed to take her in his arms. He was at once relieved and disappointed when the music ended and she stopped in a symphony of cheers and shouts for more from the Elves.  
  
Legolas put that to a stop, however, saying a bit shakily, "I think… that is enough of that… for now."  
  
The hall filled with laughter and he drew her close and kissed her gently. "Diola Lle (thank you) Elenath. Lle sana thulamin odamin (You take my breath away)."  
  
"Ta nae amin seasa (It was my pleasure)," she replied.  
  
"You are remembering our language," he said. "Soon you will remember me."  
  
"There is no need for remembering, Legolas. You have already captured my heart." 


	11. Estel

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
11.  
  
Scarcely a week had passed since the celebration of Elenath's return to Mirkwood. A week spent in learning about the new world around her, taking moonlit walks with her mother and father, and starlit walks with Prince Legolas. She began to learn the Elven arts of war and to teach Thorondil a few things about Jujitsu. And she watched the Prince; indeed she could not take her eyes off of him. It did not matter if he was in council with his father and his advisors, singing merry songs with his friends, helping with everyday Palace tasks, taking his own lessons with Thorondil, or simply resting beneath a tree. He was exquisite… beautiful in spirit and in body. Often she would wake in the middle of the night to hear him singing to her, though he always remained out of sight. He sang of the love they had shared, the places they had been, and the sweet passionate secrets they had learned in one another's arms. Though her mind remembered none of it, she knew that her spirit must. For whenever he came near, her heart warmed. When he was away, she longed for him and especially for his sweet kisses, which he gave in plenty whenever they found a moment by themselves.  
  
"My Beloved," he called her, "My Love, My Beautiful Princess, My Life…" The passion in his eyes was unmistakable, yet each night he left her at the door to her room with a gentle kiss and the same request, "Seek me out when you wake, my love. I shall count the moments until I see you again."  
  
A mere week it had been since she first saw him, yet she could not imagine her life without him. Her prince, her beloved, her life. She laughed as she walked through the wood that morning thinking of the looks on the King's advisors' faces yesterday when Legolas left them mid-sentence to present her with a particularly lovely wildflower. He had whispered something outrageous in her ear before taking his leave and she had blushed. What had he called her? Oh, yes. "Lothamin; My Flower." He had whispered, "I could not have created one more perfect than you, Lothamin," as he let his eyes roam over her body. She blushed again just thinking about it.  
  
Her life in Mirkwood was like a wonderful dream. Only one thing ever troubled her and that was her confusion regarding her faith. It was this confusion that had woken her this morning and driven her out of the safe haven of Thranduil's kingdom. She was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she was not human, not a descendent of Adam and Eve. Who then was she? What was her place in God's Kingdom? Did Jesus die for the Elves too, or were Elves beyond the need for such a sacrifice? The only thing she knew for sure in her heart was that God created everything and that He still reigned over all. She clung to that knowledge and often quoted the Psalmist who said, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."  
  
"While I yet have breath," she sang, "I will praise the Lord…"  
  
Her song was disrupted by the sound of hoof beats in the wood that grew rapidly nearer. She looked around and realized how far from home she was, but before she had time to even think about hiding, three Elven riders galloped by, followed by a fourth rider – a Man – who somehow managed to reach down and take hold of her as he raced past, hauling her up and slinging her over his saddle. Dirt kicked up by the horse's hoofs smacked her in the face as the trees streaked by.  
  
"Let go of me!" she shrieked. "Who do you think you are?"  
  
The rider said nothing but held onto her tightly so she would not fall. She struggled in his grip.  
  
"Be still!" he commanded in a gruff voice.  
  
For five minutes, she bounced around on the saddle, her ribs screaming their protest. Finally, he reined his horse sharply in the Palace courtyard, dismounted, and set Elenath gently on her feet.  
  
She spun around in a rage, catching him across the face with a backhand that sent him reeling for a moment. Staggering back, he reached for her. "Stop! I-"  
  
"Don't you touch me!" she shouted as a large group of Elves came running.  
  
"But I-" he tried to reach for her again and she kicked him sharply in the shin.  
  
"I'm warning you!"  
  
Finally, he got the hint and stood back, staring at her.  
  
She regarded him with a mixture of contempt and curiosity. His shoulder- length brown hair was a mess, one of his eyes already beginning to blacken from her strike. Unshaven and a little ragged, he appeared to be somewhere between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. It was hard to tell. He stood there with his hands up, staring at her.  
  
"Stand down, Elenath," chuckled Legolas as he came up behind her. "Estel will not harm you."  
  
"Elenath?" spoke the Man. "This is Elenath?" He stepped forward again but stopped dead at one glance from her.  
  
"Don't even think about it," she said.  
  
Estel chuckled. "If what Lord Elrond has told me is true, then she hasn't changed a bit, Prince Legolas."  
  
The two shared a short embrace.  
  
"What happened?" asked the Prince.  
  
"We were being pursued by a band of orcs," he said, "And were almost to the safety of your realm when I saw this vision of beauty standing in the wood." He turned his attention to Elenath. "You should not wonder outside the borders of Northern Mirkwood alone or unarmed, My Lady. I could not just leave you there-"  
  
"So you yanked me off the spot where I stood with no explanation or apology," she said. "Look, Estel, or whatever your name is, I don't know who you are or where you come from-"  
  
He bowed. "Forgive me, Princess. My name is Aragorn, known to the Elves as Estel. I rode out three weeks ago from Rivendell under the authority of Lord Elrond."  
  
"On what business?" she demanded.  
  
"To bring you this." He held out a sword sheathed in a scabbard so ornate that she knew it must be worth more than her grandmother's whole house. Bedecked with stunning metalwork and precious stones, it glinted in the sun and seemed to whisper her name. It was almost like seeing a long lost friend. She reached out her hands to take it, but Legolas stopped her.  
  
"Now is not the time, My Love. Trust me." He took the blade and put it carefully aside. "Estel, how did Elrond hear of the Princess' return?"  
  
"Gandalf felt that she would soon come home. They sent me out from Rivendell at once, Prince Legolas. Princess Elenath is in grave danger and she must have her weapon at her side."  
  
Legolas pulled her possessively nearer to himself, brushing his fingers lightly through her hair. "What do you mean?"  
  
Estel sighed. "The orcs have learned of her return and have chosen a new leader. A great band of them pursued us to the edge of your kingdom. They cried her name in rage when they saw us, Legolas. They have only one thing on their mind, and that is revenge." 


	12. Death of the King

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
12.  
  
Elenath stood, stricken silent by Estel's talk.  
  
"The orcs are bent on finding and destroying the Princess," he said.  
  
"I should have never returned," she whispered. "I have endangered you all."  
  
"No," said Legolas firmly, "This is your home and no evil thing will drive you out of it, Elenath. We must finish them this time. We must fight."  
  
At that moment a loud shout came from the watchtowers of Mirkwood. "To arms! To arms! An army approaches!"  
  
Elenath's body seemed to go numb with shock as Elves rushed around her, arming themselves for battle. Legolas left her side at once in search of his father, then returned moments later wearing armor and leading a horse. "Do not let yourself be seen, My Love," he said, embracing her. "I must fly."  
  
"But I – I'm coming with you!"  
  
"No! You will be more hindrance than help on this mission. They seek only to destroy you." He kissed her forehead. "And we seek to keep you safe. Now hide!"  
  
"Who will watch your back?" she shouted as he mounted his horse.  
  
David rode up swiftly, an Elven blade at his side. "I will. Now go! Hide!"  
  
They galloped away and as suddenly as the confusion and noise had started, it faded away into the distance.  
  
***  
  
The wait was the most torturous thing that Elenath had ever experienced. She huddled next to Kara with a small group of female Elves who had stayed behind and they could hear the sounds of vicious battle not far off. She slept fitfully during the night, waking at the faintest noises and crying out to God for the safety of her friends.  
  
Finally at the dawning of the new day, the Elven army returned, bruised and battered, but victorious. Many were wounded, only a few seriously. Two were on the very brink of death.  
  
When she saw her father being stretched out on the floor she began to weep. For though the Elves did their best to work their magic, he had lost too much blood. She could tell by the pallor of his skin. She took his hands and kissed them. "Ada (Dad), Ada, I love you. Please don't leave me." He was quickly slipping away and she cried, "Don't we have a way to do a blood transfusion?" The Elves looked blankly at her and she knew there was nothing to be done.  
  
An eerie silence fell when the king was brought in, arrows piercing his flesh in more than one place. Her training as a nurse told her at first glance that he might be saved if he did not go into shock. The blood loss was much less than in her father. "Ada," she whispered, "I love you. I must help the king."  
  
"Go," he said simply as Llilwen knelt by his side.  
  
The Elves tended Thranduil gently and in complete silence as Legolas leaned near to him, concern etched in his face. He had a nasty gash on his forehead but seemed to take no notice of it as he listened to his father's final words, which were inaudible to everyone else. Now and then a cough wracked the King's body and he grew weaker and weaker even as Elenath bound what wounds she could. He was fading fast.  
  
Finally, Legolas looked up with an expression on his face that nearly broke Elenath's heart. "King Thranduil has breathed his last." With that, he fell to his knees and wept bitterly.  
  
Rage and denial and hope welled up in Elenath's heart all at once. "Not if I can help it!" she said. "Kara! David! Help!" She practically pushed Legolas out of the way to kneel there, her ear close to the King's nose and mouth, her fingers expertly finding the pulse point in his neck. Her friends came running as she announced in her calm emergency room voice, "He has no pulse, no respiration. Kara see to those wounds. Don't let them bleed. David, help me count. Now!"  
  
She began to administer CPR to the fallen King and the Elves seemed to think she had gone mad with grief. They tried to pull her away, but she would not be moved.  
  
"Stop it!" shrieked Kara. "She's a nurse! She knows what she's doing!"  
  
"She's gone mad!" They insisted.  
  
"No, you must trust her!"  
  
David counted loudly over the pandemonium as Elenath thrust her palms against Thranduil's chest. "And five and six and seven and…"  
  
A minute passed, but it seemed like a lifetime to Elenath. She stopped to check the Elf's vitals and almost leapt for joy. "We have a pulse!" she exclaimed, bending over him to breathe life back into his lungs.  
  
"Breathe!" she begged him between breaths, her tears wetting his face. "Come on, breathe!"  
  
Kara began to pray at the top of her lungs, "Oh God please let him live. Please!"  
  
And King Thranduil took one horrid, rasping breath of his own accord, followed by another and another until it sounded almost normal. His eyes came back into focus and he tried to speak.  
  
The Elves were utterly astounded and immediately began to care for him again as Elenath quietly made her way back to her father, away from the throng. Llilwen cradled his head in her lap; tears falling softly down her lovely face. She looked up at her daughter and said, "He has gone to Mandos. I am sorry."  
  
"Oh, Nana (Mom)!" sobbed Elenath, "I'm so sorry! I couldn't save them both! Ada lost to much blood and there was no way-"  
  
"Shhh…" Llilwen comforted her, "You did well, my daughter. You did well."  
  
"But it's my fault," she cried. "I should have stayed far away from here. Then he would still be alive!"  
  
Llilwen's tears fell harder, "It is true, Elenath, but our hearts would still pine for you. And for an Elf, that also means death." 


	13. The Sword

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
13.  
  
Legolas knelt next to his father who, a few moments ago, had been dead. For a long, terrible moment, Thranduil had not taken a single breath; his heart had ceased in its rhythm. And, aside from the grief at loosing his father, Legolas had only had one thought during those few minutes when Elenath had seemingly gone mad:  
  
"I am not ready to be king."  
  
But Elenath had not gone mad. She had come with some kind of powerful magic that caused Thranduil's heart to beat again; caused him to draw breath anew. Only the Valar was capable of such miracles, yet she had done it, seemingly at the sacrifice of her own father.  
  
"I could not save them both," he heard her say to her mother. His heart sank as she continued. "I should have stayed far away from here! Then he would still be alive!"  
  
"And I would have no wish to continue living," Legolas murmured to himself, longing to run to her side as she picked herself up off of the floor and embraced Llilwen, crying as if her heart was being torn from her body.  
  
But he could not run to her. His father was speaking to him. With the Elves' ministrations, color had returned to the King's face though he still lay helpless on the floor, going on and on about seeing the Valar. "He says there is one whose ways are strange but who can stop an advancing army with a song. One who can raise the dead. One who can push back the darkness that has come to our Kingdom."  
  
"Elenath…" whispered Legolas. "But she is only one. It will take many to overcome the armies of the orcs."  
  
"I know not what it means, my son. But I was dead. I had left this world and at her touch I returned."  
  
The Princess' sobs had died away after only a few short moments, and when Legolas looked up again after a time, she had calmed herself and walked among the wounded, healing with the herbs given to her by the other Elves. It seemed that she brought comfort with a glance; eased pain with a touch.  
  
He longed for that touch now as his head throbbed painfully. He sat back on the floor as his father was taken away to a comfortable bed elsewhere in the Palace. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to try and stop the world spinning around him and when he opened them, Elenath was there, kneeling next to him. She said nothing but her eyes spoke volumes. At first, they were so full of pain and regret that Legolas feared for her very life. Then after a moment, some of that pain began to melt away into the love that she had for him; love and also anger. The two seemed to war within her for a moment until her love for him overflowed in the form of tears.  
  
"Lie down for a moment," she whispered through them. "Close your eyes."  
  
He dared not disobey after all she'd been through and he did as she asked. The poultice burned like fire when she applied it to the wound on his forehead and he sucked in a slow, hissing breath. The sensation did not last but a few seconds and was followed with the relief of cool water on his face and the gentle patting of dry cloth on his skin. All pain was banished from his body as she kissed his forehead.  
  
"Diola lle," he thanked her as he opened his eyes.  
  
She helped him to stand and then stood quietly in his arms as he embraced her, whispering words of comfort in her ears. "You did well, my love. Your father would be proud. He smiles down upon you even now, I know. One so young would usually panic at such a scene as this…."  
  
She stepped back from him and met his gaze. "Legolas, I have seen far worse than this. Daily, on the other side of the Gate, people would bring their sick and wounded to me. It was my job to care for them. Only there, I had medicines, equipment to give people new blood if they needed it…. That would have saved my father."  
  
"I am sorry," was all that Legolas could think to say.  
  
"You will not ride off to battle without me by your side again," she said firmly.  
  
He shook his head. "We must see to your safety."  
  
Her brow creased angrily, "Legolas Greenleaf, I have never run from anything in my life, and I do not plan to start now!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"My father is dead!" she shouted, "And yours nearly was!" She jabbed her finger into his chest. "I will NOT cower helplessly in the innermost chamber of a palace while my kinsmen die for me! Where is my sword?"  
  
"Here, My Lady." Estel had come alongside her and knelt there, offering the sword with both hands.  
  
"Please," begged Legolas. "Not yet. It will be too much for her."  
  
She turned on him. "With God as my witness, Legolas, I will not be caught unprepared again!"  
  
"You don't understand. That sword was with you always-"  
  
"And so it shall be again!" she reached out and took the blade in her hands, let out a loud shriek, and passed out cold into the Prince's arms. 


	14. Elenath Remebers Her Death

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
14.  
  
White light. Blinding white light that enveloped and blinded her. Elenath felt as if she were floating through space with no sense of direction. Then shapes began to appear as if a fog were lifting. Her eyes adjusted. She found herself on a horse, Sword drawn, looking into the face of the ugliest creature she had ever seen. Legolas was behind her, fighting two of the beasts off with the skill of a master. Legolas. Her heart seemed to expand with love at the very thought of him. He must be kept safe. At any cost, the prince must not die.  
  
***  
  
Legolas stood with his wife lying limply in his arms and cast a look at Estel that could have peeled paint off a wall.  
  
"Forgive me, Prince Legolas," said Estel. "It was Lord Elrond's wish that she be given the Sword at the first possible opportunity."  
  
"Estel, she has only just remembered our language. She remembered her father and had begun to remember her mother. Aside from that she remembers nothing. Nothing!"  
  
"Elrond feared that it would be so."  
  
"Then why did he insist on handing her an object that has the ability to bring it all back at once? Not only does the Sword carry two thousand years of her own memories. It carries thousands upon thousands of years more of the memories of other Elves who have wielded it in battle!"  
  
"She needs to remember, Legolas. Otherwise, how will she defend herself?"  
  
"You forget, Estel. Elves do not remember in the same way that Men do. We walk through our memories and experience them anew." He looked down with concern in his eyes at his wife. "This could kill her if she is not ready."  
  
"She is ready," said the Man with confidence. "If she was not, the Sword would not have called to her."  
  
Legolas sighed. He could not deny hearing the blade whisper his wife's name when Estel presented it to her the first time. "She is so young and vulnerable. You have not seen her as I have, exploring this world with the eyes of a child. Is it wrong for me to want her to enjoy that yet a while longer?"  
  
Estel placed a comforting hand on the Prince's shoulder. "I have seen her, my friend, standing in the Wood like one newly born, too innocent to realize the importance of being armed and lacking the good sense to stay inside the borders of your father's kingdom. It is a dangerous time for children. Lord Elrond is wise to give her back the wisdom of her true lifetime."  
  
The Prince shook his head and walked away, toward Elenath's chamber. Estel followed, along with David and Kara. They watched as Legolas laid her gently on the bed and kissed her lips, whispering words in her ear that they could not hear.  
  
"She will remember the last first," said Estel quietly.  
  
"Her death." replied Legolas. "Amin dele ten he. I am worried about her. Does she have the strength to withstand such an ordeal?" He looked at David and Kara.  
  
"She can do all things through Christ who strengthens her," said Kara with confidence.  
  
Legolas looked at her with questions in his eyes. "Who is this Christ you speak of?"  
  
David stepped in. "That is a question that Elenath will want to answer herself. Suffice it to say he is a great King."  
  
Kara would not be stopped. She lay her hands on Elenath's unconscious form and whispered, "Jesus Christ: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  
  
The Prince's eyes filled with even more questions and Kara smiled. "He is a King with many names. Here is another: Immanuel. It means God with us. She will explain when she wakes."  
  
David laid a hand on Elenath's arm and closed his eyes. "Kara and I know her better than anyone else in the world from which we came. She is anything but weak, Your Highness. In fact, a great strength flows through her."  
  
Estel rubbed his bruised cheekbone. "You can say that again."  
  
Legolas shook his head. "If she dies I will follow her this time. I swear it."  
  
***  
  
The Sword seemed to fight of its own accord in Elenath's hand, the motions strange to her. It was very unlike the Japanese style she was used to. More and more she began to feel a spectator in this battle, at once involved and detached, as if she were trapped in a very vivid nightmare.  
  
The blade in her hand spoke to her with a voice like the waters as she fought. "Fear not. I show you what has passed that you might face what is yet to come."  
  
"Where am I?" she asked it silently. "What is happening?"  
  
"You are just outside of the realm of your Grandfather. Rivendell lies over the rise to the East. The one you fight now is the leader of the orcs. You will slay him."  
  
"And I will die," she finished for it.  
  
"It has already been written, Elenath. All the days ordained for you were written in the Father's book before one of them came to be. There is a purpose for all things under Heaven. Do you trust me?"  
  
"I trust you," she replied mentally.  
  
"Then remember and do not be afraid."  
  
The battle was fierce but she was skilled with the Sword. The orcs had let out a horrendous scream when their leader fell beneath her blade. Hours upon hours they sought their revenge against her until the sight of blood no longer disturbed her and the pain of her thus-far superficial wounds no longer bothered her. She was weary… so weary. But the sight of Legolas fighting hard strengthened her.  
  
"Destroy the Prince and the Princess will follow!" shrieked one of the monsters.  
  
She raced to Legolas' side. They would not touch him while she drew breath. Other Elves surrounded him, bravely beating back the hideous creatures until they were almost defeated, some already fleeing into the dark places of Middle Earth. It was then that she saw the arrow, drawn back and pointed at her Beloved. The one who would fire it stood not twenty feet away. Too far to slay him before he shot. Too near to hope for a miss. She spurred her horse forward as the orc let fly and took the arrow through her heart as the enemy retreated.  
  
Her vision clouded. The earth rushed up to meet her, and the last things she saw were the Prince's eyes, full of grief and pain; full of the knowledge that she was leaving him.  
  
"Melamin," he whispered desperately, "Be strong. You must live."  
  
But she could not. She felt the life slipping rapidly from her. With all her strength she reached up to touch his beautiful face. "Amin mela lle (I love you)."  
  
"Elenath… My Beloved… I cannot follow where you are going."  
  
"No," she whispered, "You must stay with your father. Know that I will return to you if I am able. My heart..." she closed her eyes... "will never forget you."  
  
Legolas held her close, showered her face in kisses. "Cormamin niuve tenna ta elea lle au. (My heart shall weep until it sees thee again.) Namaarie. (Farewell)."  
  
"Namaarie," she replied with her last breath.  
  
All was white again. White that enveloped and blinded her. White that made her tears fall harder. How could she go on without him? Her heart had been pierced for the love of him and only the Valar knew when or if they would see each other next.  
  
*** 


	15. Answering the Call

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily Kinsman (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
15.  
  
The Prince of Mirkwood stood helplessly by as his unconscious wife shrieked in pain, tears forming in the corners of her eyes and running in streams down her face. Kara and David paled and reached out to her. "What is it?" asked Kara. "What's happening?"  
  
Estel stood calmly in the doorway, though deep concern burned in his eyes. "She has just remembered her death."  
  
"Legolas!" sobbed Elenath in her sleep. "Please…"  
  
Legolas bent over her bed and gathered her up in his arms, trying to kiss her tears gently away. He did not like this feeling of powerlessness. What good was being a prince at a time like this? He could not command her to wake up. He could not command the memories to stop. He was at the mercy of a higher power. "I am here," he said softly, his own tears mingling with hers. "Elenath, if you will only just come back to me, I am here."  
  
Just as suddenly as she had cried out, her body went completely limp. She whispered his name one last time. Her skin grew cold and her heartbeat and breathing slowed.  
  
Kara watched in horror as the color drained from her best friend's face. "What is happening? Is she…?"  
  
"She lives," answered Legolas. "Barely. Estel, should she not awaken now? Surely the sword will not require more of her."  
  
The Man shook his head. "Perhaps she has chosen to answer the Valar's call."  
  
"But the sword cannot help her remember that," said the Prince. "It did not travel with her there."  
  
"You should know, Legolas. The Valar can call at any time. She goes to him now, yet still holds onto life."  
  
***  
  
"Elenath…" a gentle whispering Voice pierced the whiteness. "Come to Me, My Daughter. I wait for you with open arms…" Continuing to weep and wishing only to return to Legolas, she did not move. "Elenath…" the voice comforted her, caressed her every sense. "Do not be frightened…"  
  
"Who are you?" she asked, peering into the whiteness and seeing nothing. "I… I know your voice from somewhere."  
  
"Of course you know My voice, my child. I am."  
  
Elenath's voice caught in her throat. Joy rose in her heart.  
  
"Will you come to Me?" asked the Voice.  
  
"I will," she replied, standing unsteadily, "If You will but show me the way."  
  
She heard a sound like a deep breath being exhaled, felt a warm breeze caress her face. Momentarily, the whiteness lifted and she found herself on a path - A path made of pure gold that led to a gated city of jasper and gold inlaid with every kind of precious stone. Feeling a presence behind her, she turned slowly and gazed into a pair of brown eyes that seemed to look into the depths of her soul.  
  
"My Lord," she whispered, sinking to her knees and stretching herself out flat before Him. She could see only His bare feet. Scarred feet.  
  
"My child," He replied with joyous laughter in his voice. "I have waited since the beginning of time for this day."  
  
She chanced a glance upward and found Him to be smiling at her, hands extended to help her up off the path. "I have waited not nearly so long, My Lord, but it seems so." Elenath rose to her knees and took the hands in her own, one at a time, and turned them palms-up. Her tears fell upon the scars she saw there. "Who am I, Lord, that You stand here waiting for my arrival? I am but Your servant."  
  
"You are My Beloved Child," He corrected her gently, taking her into His arms and holding her close. "Everything that I suffered, I would gladly suffer again just for you, Elenath."  
  
"For me?" she whispered.  
  
He nodded, and she saw the scars upon His brow, the immense love in His eyes, and the joy of His smile. Warmth filled her as He kissed her forehead, and she thought briefly of Legolas. "Am I dead?" she asked.  
  
"No, Daughter. Though the thread of life grows ever thinner." He dried the tears that still lingered on her face. "You must go back soon."  
  
"Must I?" she asked, gazing at the city. "This place is so beautiful. And You, My Lord… Must I leave You?"  
  
"I am always with you, even until the end of time," he answered. "I am there in your heart, just as I have been since the day you invited Me to live there. You needn't be here to be with Me."  
  
She did not answer, but looked longingly around her.  
  
"I hear your prayers," He continued. "I hear every song you sing. I see you when you dance for joy and when you weep with grief. Your laughter is the sweetest sound to My ears…"  
  
"But," she whispered, "I am an Elf. It was for Man that you died." She looked down at the golden path.  
  
"There is much yet to be revealed to you, child. But you must never think that you are any less precious to Me because of those pointed ears." He touched them. "I was there when My Father created you, Elenath. I know the plans that He has for you - plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Your purpose in that world has not yet been fulfilled."  
  
"In my heart I believe You, but I still do not understand."  
  
"You have great faith," he whispered in her ear. "Now you must return to those you left behind."  
  
She embraced him. "Can't I stay here with You just a while longer?"  
  
"Your friends and your husband weep for you. Kara and David's prayers for you do not fall upon deaf ears. Even Legolas' heart cries out to My Father."  
  
"Legolas…" she said quietly. "Is he well?"  
  
"He is frantic with worry for you." He smiled. "I was there also when My Father created Legolas the Elf. The Prince of Mirkwood was made for you, and you for him. You are a perfect match. Does your heart not feel completed in his presence?"  
  
"Yes," she answered. "Only in Your presence do I feel as whole. I will return as You wish. But I shall always long for this place and for Your presence."  
  
He wrapped her in a warm embrace. "And I shall always long for you, My Child. Do not forget the sound of My voice. I am ever with you."  
  
"I love you," she whispered, closing her eyes.  
  
"And I you," came the reply, echoing deeply in her heart.  
  
When she opened her eyes, she saw the light of early morning streaming into her chamber at Mirkwood and felt Legolas' arms tighten around her. 


	16. The Arrival of Lord Elrond

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily Kinsman (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
16.  
  
Legolas' touch felt like fire against her bare arms, her skin had grown so cold. She gasped for air and shivered violently beneath the heaps of blankets that had been piled on top of her. The light gown she was wearing had become tangled about her legs and she could hardly move at all. Her teeth chattered, though she knew it must still be summer by the green leaves dancing in the morning light outside her chamber.  
  
"You are awake," said Legolas softly.  
  
His voice sounded like music to her; music that reminded her from whence she had come  
  
"I am c-cold," she answered, still shivering.  
  
Legolas kissed her cheek. "Kara said that your body temperature dropped far too low… that your… " his brow creased as if trying to remember the word, "metabolism dropped to almost nothing. I do not know what this means. But she said that because of this you would feel cold when you woke up."  
  
She snuggled closer to his warmth. "How long was I gone?"  
  
"Three days."  
  
"It did not seem so long to me," she said, attempting to relax her muscles, to stop the shivering.  
  
"It seemed much longer to me, my love," sighed the Prince, tightening his embrace. "I thought I would lose you."  
  
Elenath thought of the battle, of saying goodbye to Legolas, of her journey to the outskirts of the golden jasper city. "Death is not such a terrible thing, my Beautiful Prince."  
  
"Perhaps not," he answered. "But I have had no experience in such things."  
  
Her body was finally warming, an occasional shudder still coursing through her. "Legolas… I remembered that last battle, when I died."  
  
Legolas had remembered too, hoping that doing so would help her somehow. He remembered the way she looked at him as she said goodbye, the deep sorrow he felt at losing her. Mostly he remembered the sight of her blood. Blood on his hands. Blood shed to save his life. "Elenath… Lle naa belegohtar. Lle ume quell. You are a mighty warrior. You did well."  
  
She turned toward him, though it took almost all her strength to do so, and gazed into his eyes, losing herself in them. "I would die a thousand deaths for you."  
  
"I could not bear to lose you even once more," he replied, his hand still resting upon her chest where it had remained while she slept, monitoring the slow beating of her heart. "Your heart grows stronger now."  
  
She smiled up at him, lifting her hand to toy with his hair. "Amin mela lle (I love you)."  
  
He answered with a warm kiss. "Amaelamin (My Beloved)…"  
  
She rested against him, listening to the gentle beating of his heart and almost drifting into a peaceful sleep as he held her and sang to her. "Lle kaim," he whispered. "Go ahead and sleep. I can tell that you are weary."  
  
She closed her eyes against the velvety softness of his tunic and sighed as she sensed the presence of others entering the room. She did not care and was not on her guard. She felt completely safe in the Prince's arms.  
  
He smiled at her trust as one of the Elves spoke quietly. "My Lord, a delegation has arrived from Rivendell. Lord Elrond is among them. Your father requests your presence in the Great Hall."  
  
"How did he arrive so quickly?" asked Legolas. "We only just sent messengers three days ago."  
  
"He left Rivendell only hours after Estel, eager to see the Princess, his granddaughter."  
  
Legolas propped himself up, gently running a hand through Elenath's beautiful hair. "Tell my father that Elenath has only just come back to us and I will not leave her side. She is weary and needs to rest – and I with her. Give my apologies to Lord Elrond."  
  
The Elf smiled at the good news and nodded, leaving the room with a bow.  
  
"Legolas," she spoke softly when they were alone again. "Though I would delight to stay here with you forever… I think that I would like to see my grandfather. He has traveled a long way, and I have many questions about the sword that he sent."  
  
He nodded. "As you wish, my love." He helped her to sit up shakily against the headboard and brought her a goblet of water which she sipped slowly as he sat next to her. "Shall I send Kara to help you?"  
  
"Please." She attempted to peel the covers back off of herself and failed miserably in her weakness. She sighed. "Legolas… how is my mother?"  
  
He pulled the covers back for her and untangled her legs from her gown. "She mourns your father, but has been holding to the hope that you will recover. She rode with our messengers to Rivendell. Said she needed to flee from this place for a time. Now, I will go to my father. This is twice since his return that I have refused his summons. I fear you have been a bad influence on me and I have become rebellious." His smile warmed her heart.  
  
She laughed softly. "Oh, Legolas. Give my apologies. I will be there just as soon as I can drag myself out of bed and make myself presentable."  
  
He stood and looked at her, raising one eyebrow. "Presentable? Elenath, even now you are no less than beautiful. You have a… certain glow about you."  
  
She smiled. "If you had been where I just was, you would glow too."  
  
***  
  
"I have good tidings," said the Elf at the foot of King Thranduil's throne. "The Princess has returned to us."  
  
The king smiled joyfully, his wounds almost completely healed after three days' time. "And my son?"  
  
"He sends his apologies and refuses to leave her side, Your Highness."  
  
The king laughed and turned to his honored guest. Lord Elrond sat in a throne next to the King's. He was tall and regal with long brown hair and blue eyes that radiated a strange combination of power and kindness. An Elven crown of woven silver rested upon his head.  
  
The king's laugh turned to a chuckle. "It seems that my son has become so entranced by your granddaughter's beauty that he rebels even against his own father! This is the second time since my return from your kingdom that he has refused my summons."  
  
"Ah, Prince Legolas," mused Lord Elrond. "I must say he has proven a worthy mate despite my misgivings about the match over a thousand years ago."  
  
"You mean OUR misgivings, Elrond," said the king. "If you'll recall, I was just as hard on your lovely granddaughter as you were on my son. Yet their marriage has brought about many good things, and I have come to love Elenath as my own daughter. She is the most beloved Princess that Mirkwood has ever known."  
  
Elrond smiled. "I'm sure that Rivendell would feel the same about Legolas if he were to join us there."  
  
***  
  
Legolas paused in the doorway of the Great Hall. Having heard his father's comments and those of Lord Elrond, he could not help but recall the events that preceded his marriage to Elenath. Rivendell and Mirkwood had nearly gone to war as he courted her, his heart unwilling to conform to his arranged marriage with another young maiden in Rivendell who no more wanted to marry him than an orc. He stepped into the Great Hall with a bow and a flourish before smiling at Lord Elrond. "As much as I would enjoy living in your beautiful city, my lord, I am the only child of my father and must remain here in Mirkwood with my lovely wife."  
  
Elrond stood up, smiling broadly. "Legolas! So you decided to join us after all? How are you?"  
  
Legolas clasped hands briefly with his grandfather-in-law. "I am well, now that Elenath has returned, but weary."  
  
"And my granddaughter?"  
  
Legolas paused before answering, surprised at the anger that leapt up in his heart. He wanted to say, "Fine before you sent that blasted Sword," but held his tongue. "She is weak and needs her rest, but she wishes to see you first, My Lord." 


	17. A Message from Mike

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
17.  
  
Lord Elrond seemed to sense Legolas' anger and leaned toward him. "Legolas, I love her too. I would not have sent the Sword if I did not believe it to be safe."  
  
"With all due respect, My Lord," returned the Prince, "You were not here to see her suffer during the past three days. She cried out in pain in her sleep. Her skin grew icy cold. She lay as one dead, and I could do nothing for her. Absolutely nothing. If you were not my wife's grandfather and a good friend of my father, I would not hesitate to tell you in no uncertain terms what you can do with that Sword."  
  
"Legolas!" Thranduil's voice was stern, but Lord Elrond silenced him with a gesture of his hand.  
  
"Legolas," said Elrond, "I understand your anger and would feel the same if I were you."  
  
"Then why did you send it here?" demanded Legolas.  
  
Elrond sighed. "If I had known that she would experience her first battle, lose her father, and save King Thranduil's life all in one day, I would not have sent it when I did. I made a mistake." He paused and regarded the Prince with an apologetic look. "Legolas, I am sorry. Will you forgive me?" He held his hand out.  
  
The Prince was taken aback. He had expected a much tougher resistance from Elrond. But the old Elf seemed sincere. Legolas sighed. Of course Elrond loved his granddaughter and would never knowingly do anything to harm her. The younger Elf reached out slowly and grasped the hand that was offered for a brief moment. "Yes, of course I'll forgive you Lord Elrond. I am sorry for my harsh words."  
  
***  
  
Elenath still sat on her bed, trying to muster the strength to stand, when Kara arrived.  
  
"You're awake!" said Kara, tackling her friend with a great hug. Gazing at the sky she added, "Thank you Jesus! Thank you!"  
  
Elenath could not help but smile, weakly returning the hug. "He hears you, you know. I saw Him. He told me."  
  
"What?"  
  
She told all about her journey with the sword, beginning with the last battle she had fought. While she told the tale, Kara gently helped her out of bed and into a tub of hot, bubbly water where she sat for twenty minutes.  
  
"I can't believe you saw Jesus face-to-face, Elenath."  
  
"Neither can I… but then I cannot deny it either. He kissed me on my forehead. My tears fell upon the scars in His hands. He held me close and told me He had been waiting since the beginning of time to greet me there. I… I didn't want to come back."  
  
"Oh, Elenath… Legolas would never have understood. He was distraught the entire time you were out. Last night, I poked my head in to see if he needed anything and he was bent over you, just weeping as if his heart was broken, saying something over and over in Elvish. I just left him alone. What else could I do?"  
  
"What did he say?" She unsteadily climbed out of the tub with Kara's help, dried off, and donned a light green gown.  
  
"I do not know… it sounded like… Amen… Kill love-"  
  
"Amin khiluva lle a gurtha ar thar, Melamin." came David's voice from the doorway and both girls jumped. The young Man had quite a knack for sneaking up on people, not to mention for picking up unfamiliar languages quickly.  
  
"David! I was just in the bath a moment ago! You should knock or something!" exclaimed Elenath.  
  
He smiled sheepishly. "It is wonderful to see you up and about. Prince Legolas sent me… I'm not sure why… to see if you are in need of anything. Perhaps he was worried for your safety." His hand traveled to the sword at his side.  
  
"Perhaps he knew I would need an escort to the Great Hall."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Kara. "What was that thing he said? Amen kill –"  
  
Elenath sighed. "Amin khiluva lle a gurtha ar thar, Melamin. I will follow you to death and beyond, My Love."  
  
***  
  
Legolas grew restless as he exchanged pleasantries with his father and Lord Elrond. He idly ate grapes off of a huge platter of fruit as he listened to their talk of days gone by and wished that he had stayed with Elenath instead of coming here. Finally, he summoned David and asked him if he would see that his Beloved had everything she needed.  
  
"You need only command," David answered, but Legolas corrected him.  
  
"One who fights so bravely in battle to defend a prince he hardly knows should not be commanded. David, you are my honored guest. I am glad that you came here."  
  
David simply nodded and left the Great Hall.  
  
"He saved me from injury many times on that battlefield three days ago," Legolas explained after David was gone, "For one so young his technique is amazing. He fights like a lion."  
  
***  
  
Kara swept Elenath's hair up into a long braid, spiraling it loosely in a bun at the nape of her neck and then stepped back to do a final assessment.  
  
"She looks stunning as usual," commented David. "Let's go." He offered an arm, but Elenath sighed and sat down on her bed.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, and she explained all that she just experienced, especially her sojourn in Heaven.  
  
"I just have so many questions that seemingly cannot be answered. I wish that Pastor Mike was here," she concluded.  
  
"I just wish we had a Bible," said Kara.  
  
Elenath's eyes grew wide. "Pastor Mike…. He said, 'Don't forget your Bible' and it seemed odd to me at the time. I wonder…" She pointed to the small trunk at the foot of her bed. "My Bible is in that trunk," she said, a little ashamed that she hadn't cracked it open even once since her arrival in this place. Kara rummaged for a moment and then handed it to her.  
  
"Well, at least one of us was smart," said Kara.  
  
"It's not a matter of being smart," she answered. "It was a matter of a certain Pastor who reminded me to bring it. She took the book gently by its spine and dangled it in the air, shaking it a few times and watching as objects began to fall out of it: three bookmarks, assorted church bulletins, a photo of her grandmother, and one envelope with the name "Elenath" scribbled on it. The handwriting was that of Pastor Mike. "I knew it!" she exclaimed. 


	18. On the Way to the Great Hall

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
18.  
  
Elenath leaned over gingerly and picked up the envelope, turning it over in her hands slowly.  
  
"The Prince is waiting eagerly for you," David said. "Surely the letter can wait until after-"  
  
"No." Elenath sighed. "I've been far too confused for far too long already. I'm sure Pastor Mike will shed some light on my situation. After all he knows and has always known what I am."  
  
David crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "You've got a lot of nerve making two kings and a prince wait for you while you read a letter."  
  
Kara laughed. "She's allowed. After all she is a princess!"  
  
"By marriage and birth, apparently," added Elenath as she sat down and carefully tore into the thick envelope. Her friends watched over her shoulders as she pulled the letter out and unfolded its many pages. Elenath planned to read it slowly and glean all of the knowledge she could from it. Her eyes hungrily found the first line of ink and her heart fell. "Oh no!"  
  
"What?" asked Kara. "What is it?" Elenath handed the letter to her. "Oh no!"  
  
"What is that?" asked David, pointing to the strange almost Arabic-looking characters on the page.  
  
"Feanorian script," sighed Elenath. "The alphabet of the Elves."  
  
"Can you read it?" asked Kara.  
  
Elenath shook her head. "I can't remember the characters. I have been trying and Legolas has tried to help but their meanings remain clouded to me."  
  
David took the pages and folded them carefully, tucking them back into their envelope. "My Lady," he said, "The Prince was almost bored to tears listening to his father and Lord Elrond. Perhaps we should-"  
  
"Okay, okay!" she interjected grumpily, "Let's go!"  
  
***  
  
The three made their way slowly toward the Great Hall. Every 20 feet or so, Elenath stopped to rest, leaning her head against a column and murmuring a prayer for strength. She had never been so tired. Finally when they were about halfway there, she sank to the floor, rested her head in her hands, and tried not to cry.  
  
"This is crazy, Elenath," said Kara gently, hugging her friend. "You should be in bed resting. Let's go back."  
  
"I can carry you," agreed David.  
  
"No," she said weakly. "Just… I think I just need a little something to eat. Maybe an orange or something."  
  
"I know just where to get one," he said, and walked off quickly toward the Great Hall.  
  
***  
  
David found the Prince sitting in a throne to the right of his father, tossing grapes into a goblet on the floor a few feet away. Each one landed with a muted splash that sent droplets of wine into the air. David could tell Legolas did not want to be there and chuckled at the contrast between the two noble kings and the melancholy prince.  
  
"Your Highnesses," said David as he entered the hall.  
  
Legolas sat up straight quickly and tried to hide the grape in his hand. "My friend! How is she?"  
  
"She has requested an orange. And I believe that your presence would be helpful as well, Prince Legolas."  
  
Thankfulness showed in the Elf's eyes as he picked an orange up from the platter. "Of course. Where is she?"  
  
"About halfway here, my Lord." And the two marched out of the Hall as if on a mission of utmost importance.  
  
***  
  
Kara and Elenath sat quietly on the Palace floor, gazing out into the late summer splendor of Mirkwood.  
  
"So… what was Jesus like?" asked Kara.  
  
Elenath smiled and said, "Wonderful."  
  
"Wonderful. Is that it?"  
  
The princess thought for a moment. "Awesome."  
  
Kara laughed. "Wonderful and awesome."  
  
"He is everything the Bible says he is. He is Love in its purest form. Love, righteousness, holiness, and peace," said Elenath. Then she began to sing softly.  
  
"O Lord, our Lord,  
  
How majestic is your name in all the earth!"  
  
Kara joined in, singing harmony, their voices blending and echoing, weaving to and fro like the threads of a tapestry.  
  
"You have set your glory  
  
Above the heavens.  
  
From the lips of children and infants  
  
You have ordained praise (from the Psalms)…"  
  
Elenath heard footsteps approaching and cut her song short, looking up just in time to see Legolas kneel down next to her with an orange in his hand.  
  
"David," she said, "You always go above and beyond. I asked for an orange and you bring me a prince with an orange. Thank you."  
  
Legolas laughed. "I think that he was as concerned about me as he was about you. I was dying of boredom in there. Here." He handed her a slice of the fruit and she ate it slowly. When she finished, he handed anther to her.  
  
Finally, she had eaten the whole thing and leaned her head back against the column again. "Give me just a moment…"  
  
Legolas gently took her face in his hands, his thumbs resting on her temples. "Elenath, look at me… in my eyes."  
  
She did so and smiled, warmed by the very sight of him.  
  
"Ama poldora," he whispered.  
  
She suddenly felt stronger – certainly not strong enough to run a marathon, but definitely strong enough to walk down the hall. "What? What was that?"  
  
"Do you feel better?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"It is the way of the Elves to bring strength and healing, Elenath. You will remember this soon." He helped her to her feet. "Come, your grandfather awaits." 


	19. Calmakil

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
19.  
  
The Elf on the throne to the left of King Thranduil would have terrified Elenath if she had not seen something rather familiar in his eyes. He had the air of one who was used to commanding and being obeyed; one who she would not want to anger. She felt as if she should fall on the floor before him, but settled for a small curtsy next to her husband instead.  
  
The beauty of the creature before him took Lord Elrond by surprise. Was this really Elenath? It must be. He could see a slight resemblance about the eyes and mouth, but she was much more fragile-looking than she had been in her previous form. About three inches shorter and with a much more delicate frame, she gazed at him with eyes the color of spring leaves flecked with amber. Eyes that regarded him with curiosity and reverence. She received his embrace graciously, even kissing him lightly on the cheek as he drew away.  
  
"I do not remember you," she said to him quietly.  
  
"But I do remember you," he replied, "You were born Princess Elenath of Rivendell to my daughter Llilwen." He motioned her to sit in the throne next to Legolas'.  
  
She eyed the chair warily and sat instead at Lord Elrond's feet, on the floor. Her grandfather sighed. "Always the reluctant princess."  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked, reaching for another orange and rolling it gently around in her hands.  
  
He just chuckled. "You never were much for sitting on thrones and wearing pretty gowns. You were always learning some new craft or weapon. It was because of this that you were chosen as the first female to carry the Sword."  
  
She looked at him with questions in her eyes. "The Sword…. It speaks to me. Can you tell me about it?"  
  
Elrond's eyes widened and he leaned forward. "It speaks to you?"  
  
"Yes," she replied, peeling the orange. She noticed that suddenly everyone was staring at her as if she'd made some kind of earth-shattering revelation.  
  
"And what does it say?" asked Lord Elrond.  
  
"It speaks Truth and encouragement to me."  
  
"Truth?" asked King Thranduil.  
  
She nodded. "The word of God our Creator and of His Son Jesus Christ. Words of hope."  
  
They looked blankly at her and she sighed. "You don't understand, do you?" She felt very alone at that moment, wishing that Kara and David were with her to help explain. "I have a book in my chambers that contains the history of the world from which I came and tells a story so amazing that few believe it, though many seek after its Truth. Many wrote it who were inspired by God himself. The Sword speaks to me mostly using the words of this book."  
  
"What story is this?" asked Elrond thoughtfully.  
  
"It is a long tale," she replied slowly, "About God who created the world and everything in it, but the most precious of these creations were Man and Woman. He loved them very much and they were like His children until they rebelled and disobeyed Him, causing all kinds of terrible trouble and trials for themselves. Worst of all, they so distanced themselves from God that they no longer remembered His awesome love or desired to be with Him. It is hard to explain fully in a short time, but suffice it to say that God sent His own Son, Jesus, to make things right again. Jesus sacrificed Himself, taking all of the punishment that should have been given to Man and Woman so that they could have a relationship with God again. He died a terrible death at the hands of those He had come to help."  
  
"How did he die?" asked Legolas.  
  
She took a deep breath. "They made a cross of wood and…." She shook her head. She had told this story so many times before, but now that she had seen Him, touched the scars in His hands, and heard His voice full of love for her, it seemed so much more real; so much more terrible. She whispered, "They drove nails through His hands and feet into the cross and put a crown of thorns upon His head. They raised the cross up and let Him hang there until He died, mocking Him and spitting at Him even as he said, 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.'" Elenath set the orange she had been peeling aside and wiped her tears away without apology.  
  
Elrond shook his head in astonishment. "So the slain Son's words were recorded along with the words of the Father into a book, and the Sword speaks these words to you?"  
  
She looked up at the three Elven Lords and mustered a smile. "Yes. But my story is not finished yet."  
  
"Please continue, then," prompted Thranduil.  
  
She nodded. "Jesus conquered death. He rose from the dead three days later and appeared to those who had followed Him and who had loved Him. Then He returned to the Heavenly Realms to sit at the right hand of His Father where He lives still, to this day. I saw Him there after I remembered my own death. He greeted me as His child and I touched the scars in His hands. He is just as alive as you and I, and He sees and hears everything that happens everywhere."  
  
Her audience was quiet, mulling this over for a long moment before Elrond finally spoke. "The Sword, which is called Calmakil, was given to the Elves at the beginning of time by the Valar himself. Its bearer was to be a guardian and protector of our people, taking insight and direction from the blade. It has, however, remained mostly silent for many thousands of years, speaking only the name of its bearer for all to hear. No one knows why."  
  
"It speaks to me," she said, unsheathing it. "It speaks to me even now."  
  
"What is it saying?" asked Legolas, leaning near as if trying to hear it for himself.  
  
"It says," Elenath replied,  
  
"'Lift up your heads, O you gates;  
  
Be lifted up, you ancient doors,  
  
That the King of Glory may come in.  
  
Who is this King of Glory?  
  
The Lord strong and mighty,  
  
The Lord mighty in battle.  
  
Lift up your heads, O you gates;  
  
Lift them up, you ancient doors,  
  
That the King of Glory may come in.  
  
Who is He, this King of Glory?  
  
The Lord Almighty –  
  
He is the King of Glory (Psalm 24:7-10).'"  
  
"But what does it mean?" asked King Thranduil.  
  
"It sings the ancient songs," Elrond answered. "Songs long ago forgotten by most of our kind. I only recognize this one because I read it in an old book not long ago. I do not know what it means."  
  
"The meaning is unclear to me as well," said Elenath. "I am confused about many things right now. Much has changed in my life in a very short time and I am still trying to make sense of it all." She leaned on one arm and closed her eyes for a moment, the weariness she had felt in the corridor welling up within her anew. "Legolas, if you are able to help me later, I have a letter from Mike that will, I hope, explain things to me. But it is written in the alphabet and language of the Elves."  
  
Legolas had left his throne and now sat at his father's feet next to Elenath. He reached for the orange and put it gently into her hand. "Of course I will help. Now eat, Melamin (My Love). You have not had sustenance for three days except for the water Kara somehow managed to give you."  
  
She obeyed, savoring the sweet taste of the fruit. "Where did these come from?" she asked Legolas. "Mirkwood does not seem the right climate for growing oranges."  
  
He smiled. "They are sent often as gifts from Lothlorien. The Lady of the Wood grows them in her magical gardens." Then he rang a large bell next to them and a servant appeared at once. "Please bring a meal for the Princess."  
  
"Bring one for all of us," amended King Thranduil. "The hour grows nigh for luncheon."  
  
***  
  
Elenath almost fell fast asleep face-first into her food twice during the meal, though she tried valiantly to pay attention to the talk of her Grandfather and King Thranduil and eat as much as was polite. Elrond watched her with concern in his eyes until finally he said, "Ed iear ar elenea (By the sea and stars), Legolas! She is exhausted! Take her to bed and go there yourself. You are looking quite weary as well."  
  
"Diola lle, Heruamin (Thank you My Lord)," replied Legolas, standing up and gently lifting Elenath into his arms. He realized just how tired she was when she did not protest but lay her head against his shoulder and promptly fell asleep.  
  
A maidservant waited in her room and removed Elenath's gown as the Prince gazed out into the hazy afternoon. Leaving the Princess wearing only a silken chemise, she nodded to Legolas and left the room. "The Princess should be comfortable now."  
  
Legolas waited for the maidservant to leave and then sat on Elenath's bed. He arranged the blankets snugly around her, remembering how cold she had been just hours earlier, and kissed her, whispering, "Quel kaima, Ai Lirimaer (sleep well, Little Lovely One)" before starting toward the door and his own room.  
  
"Legolas?"  
  
Her voice was barely audible, but he heard it and turned to face her again. "Mani naa ta, Melamin (What is it, My Love)?"  
  
"Must you go?"  
  
He smiled. "Do you wish for me to stay?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"It was wonderful to wake up next to you this morning," she replied. "I hope it is not customary for Elven husbands and wives to sleep in separate rooms."  
  
He chuckled and touched her cheek softly. "No, Elenath, it is not customary. I waited only for your invitation as is the tradition for newly married couples."  
  
"But we aren't newly married."  
  
"No," He agreed, "I must admit that I remember every moment of our thousand years together before you died. But at least for now I am new to you, and that is enough to prompt me to wait."  
  
"Well, you are invited, My Prince. Come and sleep next to me."  
  
"Sleep?" he asked with a chuckle, his eyes gleaming.  
  
She unabashedly watched as he removed his boots and outer clothing and folded it neatly on her chair. He was beautiful – all smooth creamy skin and muscle. "I fear that I haven't any choice in that matter, My Love. You saw me almost fall asleep in my lunch."  
  
He slid under the covers with her and wrapped her in his arms. "So be it. I shall rest here next to you, Elenath, and keep you safe from all harm." He smiled as she nuzzled closer to him and closed her eyes, sleep claiming her almost at once. 


	20. A Kingdom Rejoices

RATING: PG-13 I suppose this could be seen by some as R – implied sexuality.  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
***START A/N*** Hi mom! (I've always wanted to say that – hee hee. Yup, my mom's reading this fic too!) And hi Laura (My cool little sister – she's 13)! And thanks to everybody for all of the feedback! I hope everyone continues to enjoy…***END A/N***  
  
20.  
  
Elenath woke up the next morning to a pair of blue eyes staring intently into hers. She had woken up in the dead of night to find Legolas looking at her in the same way, and now warmth filled her as she remembered the sweet kisses, warm caresses, and the passionate love they had shared in the moonlit room.  
  
"Quel amrun (Good morning)," he whispered.  
  
She smiled, twining her fingers in his silken hair, toying with the braids there. "Good morning, Legolas."  
  
They could hear someone in Elenath's bathing chamber drawing a bath for them. Legolas chuckled. "We've been seen," he said. "News will be all over the kingdom that Mirkwood truly has a princess again by the time we arrive for breakfast."  
  
"I thought I already was Princess of Mirkwood."  
  
"In our hearts, yes. But by law, you were not until…" he smiled, "about midnight last night."  
  
"I see," she giggled.  
  
***  
  
Kara did not come in to help her that morning. Neither were any maidservants sent. In fact, it seemed as though everyone purposefully avoided Elenath's chambers after the one who drew their bath had retreated in delighted silence. That was fine with the royal couple as they helped each other get ready for the day. They took their time with lingering touches and not a few kisses. Legolas sighed as she brushed and braided his hair, still wet from the bath. Then he turned and did the same for her.  
  
When they were both ready, she leaned back in his arms and closed her eyes. "I would be happy just to stay here with you forever."  
  
"I as well, Amaelamin (My Beloved)," he agreed. "But I can guarantee that the entire Kingdom awaits us in the Great Hall. Our union is truly a gift to them in this time of mourning for your father."  
  
She sighed, her heart longing to see her Ada again. "Would he be pleased, Legolas?"  
  
"Yes," he whispered. "Even when your grandfather disapproved, your father and mother both knew that your heart had found its home with mine."  
  
"Lord Elrond did not approve?"  
  
Legolas laughed. "Not at first for a long while, but we have resolved our differences. I am sure you will remember it eventually."  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked him.  
  
He shook his head. "I was just remembering the argument you had with him when I left Rivendell to return to Mirkwood. He swore you would never see me again and you told him he would have to shackle and chain you to make you stay. When you were not there to bid me farewell the next morning, I came in search of you, much to the chagrin of Lord Elrond. I found you chained by your wrist to one of the pillars in your room, weeping bitterly. Your father was with me and he was furious."  
  
"You're joking. Lord Elrond had me chained?"  
  
"He did, though I never could figure out how he managed to do it. It must have been while you were asleep."  
  
"Well, what happened then?"  
  
"My father was summoned from Mirkwood and a great council was held between the high-ranking Elves of both kingdoms. I tell you, Elenath, war almost broke out. Rivendell did not want to let you go, and Mirkwood could not let the only heir to their throne walk away, even though I offered to give up my crown and my throne for you. The conclusion was reached that nothing could be done. I would return to Mirkwood and you would remain at Rivendell. It was to be for the good of both of our kingdoms."  
  
"What changed their minds?" she asked.  
  
"You did, Melamin (My Love). You fell ill that very day from the grief of knowing we could never be together. 'Why must I stay here?' you asked them, 'I will never sit on the throne of Rivendell. There are many in line before me for that honor.' They thought that you would recover, but you grew weaker and weaker until Elrond finally gave in. Since your birth, you have always been his light and his joy, Elenath. He could not bear to see you suffer so. He came to you on his knees begging for your forgiveness and giving you permission to come to me if that was what you wished."  
  
Elenath could not imagine Elrond coming on his knees to anyone, begging for forgiveness. He was far too regal and powerful. "On his knees?"  
  
"I know it is hard to believe, but I saw it with my own eyes. You recovered quickly and we were wed at Rivendell not a month later. Even that was an ordeal. We had the ceremony at Rivendell but you did not truly become my wife until we arrived at Mirkwood nearly a month later. That was the deal that was struck at yet another council."  
  
She shook her head in disbelief and stood. "Perhaps we should go?"  
  
He nodded and offered his arm.  
  
Thorondil stopped them at the door to the Great Hall. "Come," he said motioning them to a side room. "The entire Kingdom has arrived to greet you, but I have gifts for you from Lord Elrond." He regarded Elenath with pride. "I'm glad to see that you are armed."  
  
The Sword, Calmakil rested at her left side. "I learned my lesson from a certain ruffian named Estel," she replied. "You shan't catch me unarmed outside the Palace again."  
  
"Good," he replied. "The orcs have retreated for now, but it is almost certain that they will return." He turned to a small box on the table behind him and pulled out two golden crowns, similar in style to the one of woven silver worn by Lord Elrond. One was larger and thicker than the other and he handed it to Legolas. The more delicate one he gave to Elenath. "The Elves in the Great Hall expect to see their Prince and Princess crowned properly this morning, it seems."  
  
And indeed they did expect it. When Legolas and Elenath entered the Great Hall, they were greeted by the cheers and well wishes of their subjects who threw flower petals over them and danced for joy. "Hail the Prince!" they shouted, "Long live Princess Elenath!"  
  
She could not believe it when Kara, her best friend, curtsied before rushing to give her a gentle hug. "I guess I won't get to be your matron of honor," she whispered happily.  
  
Elenath laughed. "First of all, don't be curtsying me, and second of all, I'm sorry. Apparently the ceremony took place over a thousand years ago at a place called Rivendell. Now I'll never get my revenge for that horrible dress you made me wear at your wedding!"  
  
The merriment went on all day, and it was early evening before Legolas finally took Elenath back to his chambers where all of her belongings had been placed. The Bible lay in the middle of their bed with the letter from Pastor Mike next to it. David had left a note there as well. It read: "Thought you might want to read this, El. Also wanted to let you know that I've already threatened Legolas' life if he ever hurts you. Ha ha. Seriously, he is one lucky Elf and now I have two of you to look after. Just don't make it three for a while yet, okay? I am only one man, after all. Love, David."  
  
She chuckled and read the note to Legolas who laughed as well, saying, "I am glad that David came here. I might have been in worse shape than my father after that battle if it were not for him."  
  
Elenath raised her eyebrows. "Really? No one ever told me. I'll have to thank him."  
  
"But for now," replied Legolas, sitting on the bed and reaching for Pastor Mike's letter, "Is this the letter you wanted me to read to you?" 


	21. The Letter

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
21.  
  
Legolas sat on the bed and leaned against the wall behind it. As he opened the letter, Elenath joined him there, settling comfortably into his arms.  
  
"And this is from Mike?" asked Legolas.  
  
"Yes. I should have known it was here all along. I found it in the Book that he reminded me to bring when I left."  
  
He nodded, unfolding the pages carefully. "Are you ready?"  
  
She nodded and listened as the Prince read in Elvish.  
  
"Dear Princess Elenath,  
  
"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you for it was such an honor to help you along your way while you were yet here with me. You might be surprised to learn that I have always known who and what you are – Princess Elenath of Rivendell by birth and of Mirkwood by marriage. You are an Elf and it might surprise you to learn that I am one, too (I was fortunate to inherit my human mother's ears). I followed you from Middle Earth when you were just a baby to look after you and have learned many truths since that time. But more about that later.  
  
"By now you have arrived in Mirkwood, I hope, and have been reunited with your husband and parents. I pray that you are as happy there now as you were for 2000 years before Evil took your life. Surely this has all been explained to you by now. If not, ask any of the kind Elves of Mirkwood, for the story is well known by them all.  
  
"Now, if I know you well at all, I know that you must be terribly confused by all of these revelations. If you are an Elf, then where does that leave you? Where do you stand in the Heavenly realms? All this time you have believed that you are a descendent of Adam and Eve and that Christ died on the cross for your transgressions. Through Him you believed you had become a child of God, having authority over every evil thing that roams the earth, and becoming confident of your eternal life with Him in Heaven. My dear child, how I long to calm your fears and silence your doubts in person! But I cannot return to Middle Earth just yet so I shall do my best to explain in writing.  
  
"I will start with the conclusion that I have drawn regarding the world in which you now reside and the world from which you came. I believe that they are indeed one and the same. I see it in the landscapes and hear it in the songs of the trees."  
  
"Songs of the trees?" asked Elenath. "What on earth does that mean?"  
  
Legolas looked up at her in surprise. "You can hear the Sword speak to you but do not hear the trees' songs? They sing even now!"  
  
She shook her head. "I cannot hear them, aside from the rustle of their leaves. When I was a child I could have sworn I heard a tree say something to me once but Grandmother scolded me when I told her and told me not to be ridiculous."  
  
"Ridiculous? What's ridiculous is not believing that trees can speak!" His voice held an outraged tone.  
  
She laughed. "Oh, Legolas, I believe you! I take a greater and greater liking to this place every day. Maybe I will remember how to listen to them eventually."  
  
"I will teach you myself if I have to," he replied, turning back to the letter and continuing, "It seems, however, that the realms of Earth and Middle Earth are on different levels or dimensions of the same place. The mechanics of it escape me, but I will venture to guess that none of that matters to you. I doubt that you will ever wish to return here now that you have come home.  
  
"That aside, you must now know that the following scripture holds true for Middle Earth as it does for Earth: '…At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.'" Legolas paused, pondering this for a moment.  
  
"Go on," she urged.  
  
He complied. "Now, having established Jesus' Lordship, I hope that you feel at least somewhat less confused. Next, onto the question of who you are and where you stand in the Heavenly Realms. You are an Elf, as you know. What you might not know is that our kind were present with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit when they created the world-"  
  
Elenath gasped. "What?!"  
  
Legolas read the last part again, more slowly.  
  
"What, are we angels?"  
  
The Prince looked at her blankly and continued to read. "By our songs the waters were formed and made separate from the earth. Rivers were made to flow and the mountains were shaped. Many of us fell in love with this creation and were allowed to leave Heaven under the direction of the Valar, to live here immortally. Our task? To safeguard the world against Evil."  
  
"Then my place is to do battle with the Evil that runs rampant here," she murmured to herself, "and to praise God with the Angels in heaven. For that surely is what we are; or what we were at any rate." She spoke up. "Legolas, did you know about this?"  
  
"I have heard our history many times," he replied simply. "Shall I continue?"  
  
"Please."  
  
Legolas found his place and began once more. "You should also be aware, Elenath, that though Elvish blood runs thick in your veins, it is not pure. The blood of Eve – human blood -- also flows through them, both from your mother's and your father's lines. Therefore you are, as you have come to believe, a descendent of Adam and Eve. Christ did in fact die on the cross for your transgressions. Through Him you have indeed become a child of God, and you do have authority over every evil thing that roams the earth. You are truly God's hands and feet in Middle Earth. Whatever He ordains, you shall be able to carry out. Should you ever face death again in battle or should you choose to live your life as a mortal human being, you can be confident of your eternal life in Heaven. Either way, you stand pure and spotless before God, and in you lies a lifeline that can help to free Mirkwood of darkness."  
  
The Prince stopped suddenly, setting the letter down. "Elenath, when my father almost died, he saw the Valar who told him that you could turn back an advancing army with a song. Is this true?"  
  
She gazed into his eyes, seeing a disturbance there of confusion and anger. "It is as Mike says. I have authority to carry out that which God the Father has ordained. And He has ordained that, in the end, all evil shall perish. However, I can do nothing that He does not allow me to do."  
  
"This God you speak of… He would not abandon Mirkwood to darkness, would He?"  
  
"It isn't His will that any should perish or be lost to darkness, Legolas." Her brow furrowed as she felt him tense. Why was he angry?  
  
Resentment flared up in his eyes. "Then why did you not stop the orcs who killed your father?"  
  
His words pierced her heart like an arrow and she pulled away from him quickly, eyes wide. "Do you blame me for my father's death, Legolas?"  
  
He did not answer her, but looked guiltily out into the dusky Wood. How could he even suggest such a thing? Yet the words she had spoken suggested she could have stopped the attack. Why would this God not have allowed her to do so if He wished for none to perish?  
  
Elenath was shaken. How dare Legolas accuse her of such a thing? With every fiber of her being, she wanted to lash out at him, but instead, she stood up and walked to the edge of the room. She did not want him to see the hurt tears that spilled down her cheeks. Finally turning around, she drew a small dagger from her boot and, returning to his side, handed it to him. "Legolas, why don't you just plunge this into my heart and twist it around a few times? It would hurt much less than the words you just spoke."  
  
He looked at the blade and then back up at his wife, speechless.  
  
She knelt before him. "Go ahead, Legolas. If I'm such a killer, then I deserve it, don't I?"  
  
He set the knife aside. "Elenath, I only asked a simple question. I accused you of nothing."  
  
"You accused me of killing my father!" she shouted through her tears. "My own father! The only Elf here that I could fully remember. Do you have any idea how much I loved him? Don't you think I would have saved him if I could, Legolas?"  
  
He knelt on the floor next to her, "Calm yourself," he said. "Elenath – "  
  
"No!" she bellowed. "How could you ask me such a thing? Why did I not stop the orcs who killed my father? I'll tell you why!" She turned on him. "Because you told me to go and hide, Legolas, and I went against everything within myself to obey you! I did what you told me to instead of what I knew deep down that God was calling me to do. Why? Because." She paused, grabbing his shoulders. "Because I was afraid and confused. That's why."  
  
"Afraid?" he asked, "Confused? Elenath, you're an Elf. You should overcome these feelings easily."  
  
She stood up and fought the urge to kick him. How arrogant he sounded just then! "An Elf indeed!" she huffed, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. "If being an Elf means I no longer have feelings, then maybe I don't want to be one!"  
  
"No!" he shouted, standing up and grabbing her, pulling her close. "Do not say that, Melamin!"  
  
She yanked away from him, taken aback at the stark fear and longing she saw in his eyes.  
  
"Please," he said, "do not choose to live a mortal life. I could not go on without you, and Mirkwood would not let me go so easily."  
  
The intensity of his love for her hit her at that moment. Love that showed through his anger. Love that bit through his fear. Love that brought great comfort and trepidation into her heart all at once.  
  
"Listen to yourself, Legolas," she said, her voice quieter now. "Scolding me for my fear and confusion while you yourself fear losing me."  
  
He looked at the floor and did not reply.  
  
"Listen," she said, meeting his eyes again. "Do not be so quick to judge that which you do not understand, alright? I am new to this world. You wouldn't do much better if you were dropped into the world from which I came."  
  
He reached out to take her hands but still said nothing.  
  
She sighed. "Look, I'm going to take a walk, alright? I need to be alone to figure some things out."  
  
"Figure what out?" he asked, "I haven't even finished the letter yet."  
  
"Just… Legolas… I just need to think, okay? We can finish the letter when I come back." She stepped away from him, letting go of his hands.  
  
"Elenath, I'm sorry," he said. "Please don't go."  
  
"I'll be back," she promised and turned, her hand traveling involuntarily to the hilt of her sword to make sure it was there before she walked out of the room. 


	22. Memories of Rivendell

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
***START A/N*** OK all you happy peoples! Here are some answers to some FAQs! Yes, this story is finished and I'm posting as I do final edits. Nope, I'm not offended that some of you don't like the Christianity (chapter 21 was probably the most religion-intense chapter). We're all different and entitled to our opinions and my purpose in writing this story was not to shove my faith down anyone's throat. It's a story. Read and enjoy! ( As for the connection between LOTR and Christianity, well, according to Tolkien there is none. But Tolkien himself was a strong Christian and I personally can see the influence in his writing. I'm just havin' a little fun here like the rest of you (. ***END A/N***  
  
  
  
22.  
  
The touch of Elenath's hand to the Sword brought another memory, though it was not so strong this time. She managed to find an inner courtyard and sat next to a bubbling fountain under a tree while she remembered, half conscious of her surroundings, fully conscious of the images, sounds, smells, sensations, and scents that coursed through her mind.  
  
***  
  
The velvet blackness of a cloudy new-moon night enveloped her as she crept silently through the Wood of Rivendell. Her heart raced with anticipation, her skin prickled with the hope of his kiss. Elenath had not known what true love or true beauty was until the prince had arrived from Mirkwood six months ago. Legolas. Even the thought of him made her heart soar as high as it sunk low when she remembered that he was pledged to another. Another who did not wish to marry him or anyone else. They were both so unhappy. Why could Lord Elrond not see this and release both Elves from the arrangement? Yet the promise of even a moment in his presence, listening to his sweet voice and feeling his warmth next to her, was enough to spirit her out of her chambers in the middle of the night while all in the House of Elrond lay asleep in their beds.  
  
"Elenath…" The trees seemed to whisper her name and she begged them silently not to tell her secret. But they understood, rustling gently, "He waits for you in a secret place."  
  
She made her way to the waterfall – the one they had chosen as their own. The night wind chilled her and sent her hair whipping about her face, but that did not stop her from leaping to the stone perched precariously in the water. It did not stop her from climbing the slippery boulders while spray from the waterfall formed tiny pearls of water on her skin.  
  
She smiled when she found Prince Legolas waiting there in the small hollow behind the protective wall of the waterfall, out of the wind. He was sunlight and summertime, blue sky and music and everything good in the world all wrapped into one Elven body. In his presence she was complete.  
  
"My love," he whispered, drawing her into a warm embrace "I am glad that you came." His lips found her temple, her cheek, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips.  
  
"You are to be married in the morning," she answered sadly, tracing the lines of his face with the tip of her finger and then burying her face in his golden hair. "I could not stay away. I had to see you one last time."  
  
He was resolute. "No, I will not marry tomorrow. The Lady has refused my hand and I refuse to force it. Elenath, it is you who I desire for my wife, if you would have me for a husband."  
  
A lump rose in her throat. "That is what I want more than anything," she said. "But I cannot see how it can ever come to be."  
  
"I will run away with you if I must," he said, determination creasing his brow.  
  
"Legolas, I could not allow that. You came here to wed a maiden of Rivendell, to unite our two kingdoms. If we go against Lord Elrond's wishes, his wrath would consume us both. Our kingdoms would be driven further apart and nothing would be gained from our union."  
  
"Your grandfather would never harm his beloved granddaughter," he said soothingly. "And kingdoms will do as kingdoms will do."  
  
"Grandfather and I love one another too much," she whispered. "Could I bear to hurt him so? I do not think that I would survive banishment from his presence." Hopelessness flooded her and she sank to the damp floor in despair. "I cannot live without either one of you."  
  
She could see tears welling in his eyes. She knew that they would remain unshed. Legolas did not weep easily. "Your love for your grandfather is beautiful, Elenath, just like the rest of you is beautiful. Do not lose heart, my love. We will find a way. I'm sure of it…"  
  
***  
  
The memory faded into white, and Elenath was surprised to find when she came back to herself in the courtyard that she was not alone. In fact, she guessed that she must have fallen asleep. Her head was resting comfortably in someone's lap.  
  
"El! At last you're awake!"  
  
The voice belonged to David, and she sighed as she sat up. It was utterly dark aside from the light of the moon coming through the trees. "How long have I been here?" she asked him groggily.  
  
"Long enough to prompt the prince to wake me from my sleep and ask if I would try to find you. Ro dele ten lle. He is worried about you."  
  
Smiling at him she said, "You learn the language of the Elves very quickly."  
  
"I only repeat what I hear," he replied. "Now do you want to tell me what's going on? Legolas seemed to think that you had run away into the woods."  
  
She told him the whole story, though it sounded awfully petty to her now. Legolas had asked a simple question and she had blown up at him. "He must really be mad at me," she said. "I don't know what got into me. I've never felt so stupid in my life."  
  
David patted her back. "Elenath, that's the exact same thing that Legolas said about himself. Sounds like you both got upset and said things you didn't mean. Go back to him now, okay? He's worried sick."  
  
"God, I'm such an idiot. How could he ever love me? I snap at him and then run off and worry him half to death."  
  
David looked at her with deep feeling. "How could he not love you, El?" He got up to walk away but she caught up with him quickly.  
  
"But David, I'm just a child compared to him. And I… I don't know how to be a wife! Look, I've been married less than a day and I've already botched it up."  
  
"Child or not, he loves you," he stated simply, "And as for how to be a wife, I don't know. If you were mine, I would hope that you would love me, respect me, and never forget how special you are." He turned around and touched her cheek softly, sadness creeping into his eyes. "Or how beautiful."  
  
She gazed up at him. "Oh, David. Please don't." Gently taking his hand, she directed it away from her face. "Please."  
  
"I am sorry, El," he said quietly. "Sometimes I can't help but wonder what might have been if I hadn't been such a fool."  
  
She backed away, smiling a little sadly. "Not too long ago, you did me a big favor by telling me like it was – that you loved me but would never marry me or anyone else. It saved me a broken heart and a lot of hurt feelings later."  
  
"Now you're going to do me the same favor, aren't you?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "I love you David. I always have. I always will – as a brother and a friend and nothing more. I hope that you can live with that."  
  
"Do you love Prince Legolas?" he asked. "Do you remember enough to love him?"  
  
"My mind remembers little, but my heart remembers much. And yes. I love him more than I ever thought it was possible to love another. He completes me."  
  
"Then I can live with it." he smiled. "Good night, Lady. May the Lord send Angels to watch over you while I cannot."  
  
"May He send Angels to watch over all of us, always," she replied quietly as he directed her gently in the direction of her new chambers, and went the opposite direction to his own room. 


	23. Orcs in the Bedroom

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
***START A/N*** Sorry about all these author's notes. I'll try to do better in the future. But anyway, I made a big booboo in chapter 21 regarding the Valar and the birth of the Elves into Middle Earth. Special thanks to Lynliss who set me straight with her wonderful review of chapter 22 (read it! It's good stuff!). So, quite possibly I will be going back to make corrections sometime in the future. My apologies for my lack of research (or actually lack of research materials, truth be told. I did try to stay accurate, but could not find all the info I needed). It does not have much bearing on the rest of the story so enjoy! ***END A/N***  
  
23.  
  
Elenath walked down the corridor toward hers and Legolas' room, her nose picking up a putrid scent. It was the first unpleasant aroma she had experienced in Mirkwood, and for some reason it concerned her greatly. Inexplicable fear and anger washed over her, but the reason for it evaded her. She followed her instincts, however, and crept silently toward the prince's chambers, her hand once again finding the hilt of her sword.  
  
"God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble," It whispered to her heart. "Therefore do not fear."  
  
From Legolas' room she heard a shout, followed by harsh, guttural language. Far behind her, she heard the feet of the palace guards rushing to their aid. She picked up her pace, joining the sword in the words that it spoke:  
  
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies."  
  
Turning the corner, she came to the door that she had so hastily retreated from hours ago and stopped in her tracks. The scene that greeted her made her swallow a scream and step quickly back into the shadows of the hallway, her heart pounding. Hideous creatures – 3 of them with slimy, wrinkled flesh, rotting teeth, and eyes like those of rabid creatures – stood around Legolas who was just out of reach of his bow. One had raised and nocked an arrow and had it pointed at the Elf's heart. The others laughed and jeered, though she could not understand their language.  
  
Elenath was unsure of what she should do. She thought of running for help, but by the time she came back, she knew Legolas might be dead. How did these beasts get in here, anyway?  
  
At least she was well armed, and she knew that all it would take was one scream to bring the palace guards running even more quickly to their service. She peeked quickly into the room again and her stomach turned, a wave of fear rising. Another of the creatures had pulled out a knife and stood threatening Legolas with it. The Prince stood defiantly, unafraid, regal. She closed her eyes and silently said the first words that came to her mind, hearing the Sword say them with her.  
  
"The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?"  
  
She remembered the joy of being in her Lord's arms on the outskirts of the Heavenly city and realized she had no reason to be afraid. Death was not such a horrible thing. And the Elf who stood at knife and arrow-point in that room was certainly worth dying for, no matter how great the pain.  
  
Taking one of her many daggers in hand, she took a deep breath walked confidently into the room. "Let him go."  
  
Orcs were stupid but dangerous creatures. They always had been - even the ones that had been the death of her before. These were certainly no different.  
  
They spun around to face her and laughed with glee. They had found their prize! Abandoning the Prince, they moved to surround her instead and Legolas had his bow in hand before she could blink an eye.  
  
"Run, Elenath!" Legolas yelled, but she stood her ground, her eyes level with the orc with the bow. The creature nocked an arrow and began to pull it back, but Elenath's dagger was too quick. It flew from her hand and embedded itself in the orc's skull. The orc fell dead as its comrades attacked her with vengeance.  
  
Her sword sang in its metallic voice as she unsheathed it, blocking strike after strike from the orkish weapons – an axe and a spear.  
  
"We will avenge our leader!" shouted one in heavily accented Elvish. "You will die a horrible death!" He thrust his spear at her.  
  
She dodged quickly, replying with the Sword, "My flesh and bone may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. You cannot destroy my spirit, demons!"  
  
The palace guards clamored into the room at that moment, arrows nocked, but no one could get a good shot without endangering the princess.  
  
"Your God is nothing but a dictator, greedy and selfish for power," the orcs cried as the axe barely missed her head.  
  
"And yours is the father of lies and deceit, destined for an eternity of darkness." She sliced out at one of them, drawing blood, but not doing any real damage. "It has already been written. You may win a battle or two, but you are destined to lose this war."  
  
The orcs screamed in rage at that. "We will see who wins!"  
  
Legolas dropped his bow and jumped into the fray armed with his knives. Quickly taking the orc with the axe down, the remaining one thrust his spear at Elenath. She dodged and ducked, firing off a kick to its knee, and tripping over her long skirt. She fell to the floor just in time to dodge a particularly violent thrust of the spear.  
  
The beast laughed, putting the tip of its spear to her throat. Elenath's hand tightened around her sword, but the palace guards intervened at once and the orc fell with five arrows in its back.  
  
"Stupid beasts," said one of the guards, rushing to Elenath's side, along with Legolas.  
  
"Are you hurt, My Lady?" asked the guard.  
  
She shook her head and sat up. "No, I'm not hurt. Except where I bumped my head when I tripped over this stupid dress."  
  
Legolas looked up and addressed the guards. "Check the perimeter. Make sure there are no more. I will see to the Princess."  
  
He scanned her skin carefully, finding a deep scratch on her arm and hoping desperately that the orkish weapon that had caused it was not poisoned.  
  
"She is wounded." He shouted at the retreating guards. "Where is Lord Elrond?"  
  
"In the chambers next to your father's, My Lord."  
  
"What are you talking about?" she asked. "I'm fine. That's only a scratch."  
  
Legolas would take no chances. He swept Elenath up into his arms and ran toward her grandfather's rooms. 


	24. Disturbing News

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
24.  
  
"Legolas, what are you doing? I'm fine! I can walk!" Elenath struggled a little in his arms.  
  
"Be still!" he commanded. The tone of his voice startled her.  
  
"But why?"  
  
He did not answer but stopped in the doorway of Lord Elrond's chambers. Estel stood guard there and regarded the couple with curiosity.  
  
"Please, wake Lord Elrond," commanded the Prince. "Elenath has been wounded."  
  
"Wounded by what?" asked Estel.  
  
"An orkish blade. Quickly!"  
  
The look that crossed Estel's eyes was enough to really frighten Elenath. The Man turned and ran into the chamber, shouting Elrond's name as he went.  
  
"Legolas, what is going on here?" she demanded. "What was that look I just saw in Estel's eyes?"  
  
"Elenath, if that blade was poisoned, then we have very little time to counter the affects. Your grandfather knows the cure and is a powerful healer."  
  
"But I feel fine," she said, her eyes wide. "For heaven's sake, it's just a scratch!"  
  
"I'm not taking any chances," he insisted.  
  
Lord Elrond came to them seconds later, reaching out to take his granddaughter gently in his arms.  
  
"I'm fine," she insisted again, though she began to feel just a little woozy. "Please, don't make such a big deal over this."  
  
"Dina. Be silent," said her grandfather, calling for lights. As if by magic, attendants entered the room bearing torches, lighting the lamps. The room brightened considerably and Elenath squinted. This was ridiculous. Being carried around like a sack of potatoes when she was completely capable of walking.  
  
Lord Elrond looked at the wound closely. "Distract her, Legolas."  
  
The Prince leaned near and kissed her with a passion that nearly took her breath away as Elrond pulled the pitcher from his bedside and poured a stream of liquid over the wound.  
  
Fire! Her arm felt as if it was on fire and she yanked away from Legolas screaming bloody murder. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Trying to save your life," said her grandfather. "It is a miracle that you're not unconscious already."  
  
"I told you. I feel fine." Her teeth were gritted against the burning fire that spread from her arm to the rest of her body. "Except that stuff you just put on me makes me feel as if I am burning from the inside out."  
  
"Proof that you have been poisoned." He said gravely.  
  
"What was it?" she demanded.  
  
"Water," replied Elrond. "Now be silent and hold still or I shall have to render you unconscious myself."  
  
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to subdue the pain that wracked her.  
  
"The poison reacts with water in this way," Legolas explained to her quietly.  
  
"Will I die?" she asked.  
  
"Not in my care, you won't!" replied Elrond, mixing a poultice of herbs and smearing it over the scratch in her arm. The pain subsided a little bit and he began to chant over her in Elvish. She only caught parts of what he said because Legolas also was whispering to her – "Forgive me, Melamin (My Love), for my accusation earlier."  
  
She shook her head as the room began to spin slowly around her. "I'm sorry for reacting the way that I did."  
  
"I cannot blame you! Sometimes I forget just how little you remember and how new everything must seem to you."  
  
Elenath smiled at him and then turned her attention to her grandfather. For a moment, she felt as if she were a little girl again, lying in her bed at Rivendell, the forest alive with the sound of birds and insects. Her mouth began to move of its own accord, and she whispered along with her grandfather's chant as he gazed into her eyes. Lord Elrond paused long enough to prepare another poultice and said, "It is good that you remember the healing chants."  
  
Elenath closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, the room had come back into focus. "I… feel strange," she whispered. "Like I am floating."  
  
Legolas cast a worried glance at Elrond before kissing her again softly, whispering, "Lirimaer… Lle naa lissenen ar maskalalaith. Lle naa nauramin, alassamin, melamin, bellasamin, cuilamin. Amin mela lle, Elenath. Amin mela lle."  
  
She sighed at the prince's words as Elrond began to chant again. Legolas had said, "Lovely One, you are sweet water and light laughter. You are my fire, my joy, my love, my strength, and my life. I love you, Elenath. I love you." Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that anyone would say such things to her, let alone a prince. She decided right then and there for about the hundredth time that she must be dreaming.  
  
Lord Elrond took up the pitcher once again and poured it over the wound, eliciting a startled yelp from Elenath as the fire in her body started anew. She most certainly was not dreaming now. "Stop that!" she shouted. "Can't you see I'm fine? I'm not poisoned! The only reason I'm screaming and carrying on is because you keep pouring that… stuff on my arm."  
  
"It is water," said Legolas.  
  
"Yeah, right! Water! Let's see how any of you respond to having hydrochloric acid poured on an open wound, eh?" She lunged for the pitcher and looked inside as her grandfather began to chant again. It looked like water and smelled like water. When she touched it with her fingers it felt like water. With a shrug, she took a drink. It even tasted like water. She lay back again, setting it aside.  
  
"If I'm poisoned, then why aren't I dead?" she asked Legolas.  
  
"Your grandfather is a powerful healer."  
  
"And so is my God!"  
  
Elenath looked up at the sound of the new voice. Kara had fought her way through the crowd that had gathered at the door when the princess screamed the first time, and she carried the Bible. "What is he saying anyway? Words! So many words! What good will they do?"  
  
Elenath smiled at her friend and then looked down at the Bible. "Hey, girl. What's up? You got a verse for me?"  
  
"What's this all about?" asked Kara, "Poisoned arrows or something?"  
  
The princess laughed, holding tight to the bedclothes so she would not float up off of it. "These freaks think I'm dying or something. I don't know. Grandfather is trying to save me. Hey, how about some prayers. I'm feeling kinda strange."  
  
The newcomer cast a worried glance at Legolas and found no comfort in the Elf's eyes. "Of course," said Kara with a nervous smile, closing her eyes and lifting her palms heavenward. She stood silently for a few moments and then opened her mouth, matching Lord Elrond's chant syllable for syllable.  
  
Everyone looked at the Woman in surprise as the Elvish language flowed from her tongue as if she had been speaking it her whole life. The words had not even a hint of human accent on them.  
  
"…the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."  
  
"Where did she learn our language?" Legolas asked Elenath quietly, "And the healing chants?"  
  
Elenath smiled, beginning to feel somewhat better now that Kara had arrived. "She knows not what she says. The words are a gift from God." With that she began to chant with her grandfather and her best friend until Elrond finally finished and sat on the bed next to her, amazed as Kara and Elenath continued.  
  
"Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  
  
They paused, the room utterly silent for a long moment.  
  
"How do you feel?" asked Kara at last.  
  
"Better," said Elenath. "It was the weirdest thing. I felt so light, like I was going to float up off of the bed if I did not hold on."  
  
"You are as strong as ever, Granddaughter," said Elrond. Turning to Kara, he said, "Forgive me, but who are you? And where did you learn the chants?"  
  
"I am Kara, Elenath's best friend. I have no idea what I just said. I simply opened my mouth and the words came out." She held the book out to him. "That last part is in here."  
  
Elenath smiled and sat up slowly. "That's the book I was telling you about, Grandfather." Suddenly remembering his library at Rivendell and his passion for books, she added, "Would you like to borrow it?"  
  
"I shall have it copied," he replied, glancing through the pages with great interest, "So that I may take it back to Rivendell when I go."  
  
"I hope that you do not plan to leave soon," she said, reaching out her hand to him.  
  
He took it and smiled. "Two weeks from now, Elenath."  
  
She thought of the wood and the waterfalls of Rivendell and ached to see them again. "My heart longs for home."  
  
King Thranduil had finally arrived in the room and sighed. "You should go with him, Elenath. For I fear the time has come to return to our old home within the stone walls of the cave. It is much safer there and will provide us with protection until the orcs can be driven back once more. This palace is far too open for such times."  
  
She looked to Legolas for an explanation and he provided one. "When you first came here, Melamin, the Elves of Mirkwood lived in a large cave. It is a beautiful place, really, but when you settled in there and had stayed for a while, you began to long for the night air on your skin and the sounds of the outdoors."  
  
King Thranduil chuckled. "My son built this palace for you, Elenath. We all liked it so much that the plans were expanded to include rooms for the entire court." He sighed. "But the time has come to go back to the old palace. I have contemplated this for some time and have sent some of our servants to prepare it for us. We will go there when the sun rises."  
  
At that moment, a small group of guards broke through the throng at the doorway. "King Thranduil," said Thorondil with a bow, "I am afraid that none of us will be leaving Mirkwood soon. The orcs have surrounded us. They lie in wait at the perimeter of the Kingdom in great numbers. I have never seen so many." 


	25. Late-Night Discussions

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
25.  
  
"If the orcs have surrounded us, then why have they not attacked?" asked Elenath checking out the torn hem of her dress and shaking her head. Tripping over it had probably saved her life, but it had still been embarrassing.  
  
"It seems that most of them fear the magic of the Elves," replied Thorondil. "Except for a certain three who we disposed of earlier. We left their bodies near the border for their comrades to find. That should reinforce their fears."  
  
"It appears," added Raion, another guard who Elenath had met as she watched a training session earlier that week, "that their intention is to keep us as prisoners here until we can stand it no longer and attempt to ride out."  
  
"We overheard some of them talking," said Thorondil. "They are aware that Elenath has returned and are counting on her desire to see her family at Rivendell. What they do not know is that Lord Elrond is already here, and that we are aware of their presence"  
  
"So we are under siege," said Elenath.  
  
"Yes," replied Raion with a nod. "But fear not, My Lady. We will guard you with our very lives."  
  
She smiled, regarding the tall, red-haired Elf with sincere appreciation. "My dear Raion. I am grateful to you for your willingness to protect me. However, I do not fear death. What I do fear is that I shall never be able to fight properly in such elegant gowns. Is there no clothing in Mirkwood appropriate for a female warrior?"  
  
Raion laughed. "We have no female warriors in Mirkwood, Princess. Not since you left us before…. And we had hoped-"  
  
Thorondil silenced the younger Elf with a glance. "Elenath is a born warrior. She carries the Sword Calmakil, and thus has been designated protector of the Elves. Princess or no, Raion, she will return to the battlefield with us."  
  
"You would have to chain me to keep me away," agreed the Princess gravely.  
  
Legolas took her hand. "Do not say such things, My Love. You might give your grandfather ideas."  
  
Everyone laughed at that, including Lord Elrond. "I was a fool for ever trying that, and I shan't ever attempt it again. My granddaughter has a mind and a heart of her own. Although… Granddaughter… it has been nice to see you dressed in a way appropriate to your royal standing these last few days."  
  
Legolas nodded. "I must agree. But, to answer your question: yes. You have an entire wardrobe full of clothes that you used to wear in training and on the battlefield. You are smaller now than you were, but most of them have been altered to fit you. Our seamstress has not completely finished."  
  
"Just another day or two!" a voice piped up from the back of the crowd and Elenath smiled in that direction.  
  
"You have my undying gratitude," she said to the unseen seamstress. "Though perhaps we have much more pressing issues than clothing at this moment. Does Mirkwood rely on outside sources for food?"  
  
"We are completely self-sufficient, My Lady," replied Raion, "Though we may do without some luxuries."  
  
Legolas nodded. "Good. Tomorrow we will move to the caves if it pleases my father. But for now, I would like to get some sleep."  
  
They all nodded and moved aside to let the royal couple pass.  
  
Elenath shivered as she heard Elrond say, "Post guards at their door. Make sure they remain safe."  
  
***  
  
Elenath could not sleep. She lay awake listening for sounds in the woods, ever aware of the presence of the guards outside their door. Legolas held her close; soothing her as best he could with gentle caresses and softly spoken words.  
  
"I read the rest of the letter," he whispered at last when he knew she was not falling into slumber.  
  
"What did it say?" she asked him.  
  
"A lot about the authority that you have over evil. And Mike said that he planned to ask a woman to marry him as soon as you were safely home. A woman with a young daughter."  
  
"Diana," she sighed. "She will be so happy."  
  
"He said that he would bring his new family here if they were agreeable. His heart longs for home and for the companionship of others like himself."  
  
Elenath grew worried but did not voice her thoughts. If Thranduil's Kingdom was surrounded by orcs, how would Mike and his family ever reach them safely? She hoped that they would somehow know to wait until the threat passed. "Legolas?"  
  
"Yes, my love?"  
  
"What do the orcs do to their prisoners?"  
  
He sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I will not speak of it."  
  
They were silent for a few long moments.  
  
"Elenath?"  
  
She smiled. "Yes, my Prince?"  
  
"Does your heart really long for Rivendell? Do you remember that place?"  
  
"Yes," she replied, "I remember the singing of the trees and the waterfalls. And our waterfall."  
  
He smiled. "Our waterfall… Where I first tasted of your sweet lips." He kissed her gently. "The place where I pledged my heart to you the night before I was to leave for Mirkwood."  
  
"I do not remember that," she said.  
  
"You will," he replied. "Now, Melamin (My Love), close your eyes and sleep. Tomorrow will be very busy. You will join the palace guard in their training."  
  
"What sort of training?"  
  
"Archery."  
  
Legolas felt her tense at that word. "Archery?"  
  
"Yes. It is an important skill."  
  
She sighed. This was just great. Kara and David would have a field day.  
  
"Why are you worried?" he asked.  
  
"You didn't see me my last year of college when I took an archery class. It was a disaster."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
This time it was Elenath's turn to hold her silence, an embarrassed flush creeping into her cheeks. "I will not speak of it." 


	26. The Yielding of Calmakil

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
26.  
  
Morning came far too quickly for Elenath's liking. Legolas did not make it any better by greeting her with her very own bow and quiver of arrows. After dressing in her new clothes, which consisted of long tunics over leggings, she took her breakfast in her chambers by Legolas' side, but they ate in silence. He regarded her with quiet curiosity.  
  
"Did you kill someone?" he asked suddenly.  
  
She sighed. "Came close."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Ask Kara. I'll never retell the story, but she loves it. Gets a good laugh every time."  
  
And tell Kara did, about the first day of archery class when Elenath, or Summer as she was known then, missed the target so badly that her arrow flew into the open window of the chancellor's office, narrowly missing his head and that of the foreign dignitary sitting at his desk. "Knocked the poor guy's toupee right off his head!"  
  
Legolas shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"But that's not all!" exclaimed Kara as Elenath stood by, mortified. "One time she didn't nock her arrow properly, and when she let go of the bowstring, the arrow just spun around and whacked her across the face. That left a pretty welt! Then there was the time that she aimed just a leeettle too high and shot a crow right out of the sky. Our teacher was not pleased."  
  
"Archery, obviously, is not something I am good at," said Elenath, unable to ignore the fact that half of the Royal Guard had gathered around to hear Kara's stories, along with her grandfather and Estel. The Man had a particularly dark expression on his face.  
  
"But I'm not finished!" exclaimed Kara as David approached to see what all of the fuss was about. "David, tell them about –"  
  
"Okay, alright. Please. That's enough," said Elenath.  
  
"But this is my favorite one," said David with a grin. "All of us were lined up with our bows. We pulled back and were waiting for the teacher's signal to fire when this bee came up and landed on Elenath's arm. Her eyes got really big and she kept trying to get it off of her. She tried blowing on it and even asked it nicely to go away. Finally she tried to shake it off, not keeping a very good hold on the arrow she had nocked, unfortunately."  
  
"Oh, no," said Legolas, knowing what was surely coming.  
  
"Well, the arrow and the bowstring slipped right out of her hand and flew down the line of archery students, right through their drawn bows. It lodged itself into the teacher's clipboard. Thank God no one was hurt!"  
  
Elenath said the last part with him; she had heard it told so many times. And then, "The teacher asked her to leave and not come back after that and called her a threat to society." She sighed. That had looked pretty on her report card. She'd had to take a bowling class to replace the "F" so it wouldn't affect her GPA.  
  
Legolas put a comforting hand on Elenath's shoulder and said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Often it is the teacher, and not the student, who is to blame for such incidents. I feel that you will do much better under Thorondil's tutelage. And I will be right here to help you."  
  
"I don't know, Legolas. Maybe you should stay back, at a safe distance. I would never forgive myself if I accidentally killed you." She took her bow uncertainly in her hands.  
  
"Hit the deck!" shouted Kara, diving for cover and everyone laughed. Everyone but Elenath.  
  
"Very funny," she said. "You know, Legolas, maybe this is not such a good idea."  
  
It was at that moment that Thorondil approached, his eyebrows raising at the scene. Fifty of his best warriors stretched out flat on the ground before the Prince and Princess, seemingly cowering in fear. The only ones left standing were David, Estel, and Lord Elrond.  
  
Raion spoke up from near the back of the crowd. "Run for your life, Master Thorondil!" he shouted. "She is armed and dangerous!"  
  
That was the last straw. "Stand up, all of you," commanded Legolas angrily. "You should be ashamed of yourselves."  
  
"Legolas, please-" began Elenath, but he cut her off.  
  
"We are all here to learn something new and to improve our skill. Elenath is no different."  
  
"Except that she is a female," said Raion, standing with the others. "And royalty to boot. It is our place to protect her. She should have no need to learn archery." A few other guards expressed their agreement.  
  
"No offense, Lady," said one, "But we only wish to do our duty. That is hard to do when you will not stay behind the front lines of a battle."  
  
Legolas' eyes flashed. "We will not have this discussion again! For a thousand years, it has been a point of argument for us. Dare you question the Sword's choice? We can no more keep Princess Elenath behind battle lines than we can keep my father from ruling Mirkwood."  
  
Elenath began to feel very small. Who was she to come waltzing in here, thinking she could join the ranks of the elite Elven warriors of Mirkwood? Her hand traveled to the hilt of her sword absently and it spoke to her.  
  
"The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all those who are bowed down. He saves the humble but brings low those whose eyes are haughty. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. Yield me to them, Elenath."  
  
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward with her head bowed and removed the scabbard and sword from her belt. Placing it gently on the ground at Thorondil's feet, she said, "Amin lava. I yield to the decision of the Royal Guard. If there is another who feels it is their duty to bear the Sword, then so be it. I will not stand in their way."  
  
All was silent in the courtyard for a long, uncomfortable moment until everyone gathered heard the sword whisper, "Raion…"  
  
It was quite a blow to Elenath's pride to hear this, and to see the young Elf come forward and take up the Sword. Her Sword. To everyone's surprise, in a bright flash of light, it struck Raion down and he lay senseless on the ground, still clutching the weapon.  
  
The princess rushed to his side. It was as if he was in a deep sleep. She looked up at the Elves around her in confusion. Had she done this? Their expressions told her that no, she had not.  
  
"You were like this for three days when you took up the Sword," Legolas reminded her.  
  
Out of curiosity, she touched the hilt of the Sword and was briefly transported to that final battle once again. Letting go, she shook her head and stood up. "Will he be okay?"  
  
"Of course," said Lord Elrond. "It would not have called his name if he was not able to endure what it wished to show him."  
  
Raion was only out for about five minutes. As some of his friends began to lift him from the ground, he came to with a look in his eyes of utter shame. "Put me down," he said.  
  
They did, and he fell immediately at Elenath's feet, offering the Sword to her. "Forgive me, My Lady. I have done you great wrong."  
  
She looked down at him in surprise, taking the Sword and returning it to her side. "It is not wrong to voice your opinion, Raion."  
  
"I do not speak of the voicing of my opinion. For a thousand years I and my friends have kept you from becoming a skilled archer. I never realized until now what I had caused by doing so."  
  
Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"  
  
He rose slowly. "I have done a shameful thing, but I will make it right. You will be the best archer that Mirkwood has ever seen."  
  
"What did the Sword show you?" she asked him curiously.  
  
Thorondil stepped forward. "Perhaps he can tell you later, Elenath. But right now we are late in beginning our practice." 


	27. A Battle Date is Set

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
27.  
  
Legolas and Raion gave Elenath so many tips and pointers during her archery lesson that she thought her brain would explode from information overload. She got so flustered that she missed her target completely for the first half of practice. At least she hadn't shot anything out of the sky, though, and she had to admit that the bow felt good in her hand. She could feel the power of the weapon in the taught bowstring when she pulled it back to aim, and she loved the whishing sound that the arrow made as it cut through the air.  
  
After a time she began to ignore the bulls-eye-shooting Elves on either side of her and started to enjoy herself even though Kara, seated off to the side, watched her warily.  
  
Elenath could vaguely hear Legolas trying to correct her stance as she raised her bow once more, pulled back, and let fly on Thorondil's command.  
  
*Thonk!* What a beautiful sound! It hit the target! Not anywhere near the center, but at least it was something. Kara looked shocked and proud at the same time, and Legolas and Raion stood with their mouths hanging open.  
  
"Well, then…" amended the Prince. "Whatever works for you. I suppose every archer has his own way of doing things."  
  
She looked over at him. "Or in my case, her own way of doing things."  
  
"Forgive me," he said with a nod and a smile.  
  
His smile sent her stomach into flights of butterflies and she turned away quickly as not to lose her focus.  
  
They broke for lunch at midday and everyone was shown to their new quarters in the caves. They weren't nearly so dark or dank as Elenath had feared. In fact, they were quite beautiful. The rock walls had been smoothed to a shine and carved, giving the underground palace the look of a cathedral. Precious stones were embedded in the walls and skylights were abundant, at least in the upper chambers. The Great Hall's skylight was the largest of all, and was covered in huge diamonds that sent rainbows shimmering all about the room. Elenath loved the underground stream that flowed through the Great Hall and the Hot Spring that bubbled up into hers and Legolas' room.  
  
"What do you think?" Legolas asked her as she looked around their new residence. "Do you remember this place?"  
  
"I don't," she said, "But I like it. It's beautiful." She dipped her hand into the steaming water of the hot spring and smiled. "Were these our rooms before?"  
  
He nodded. "This is where I brought you when we finally arrived in Mirkwood. You looked around at that time and said, 'I will suffocate in here.'"  
  
"Was I really so rude?"  
  
"Rude?" asked the prince. "No. You had lived for a thousand years without ever seeing a solid wall. This was quite a shock for you. Besides, you were born and raised a Royal, and you knew the rights and privileges your position gave you. You knew what you liked and what you needed. If Raion had spoken to you in the way that he did at practice today, you would have demoted him from his rank and possibly kicked him off the Guard."  
  
She sighed. "So I was a stuck-up snob."  
  
Legolas laughed. "Far from it, My Love. Raion's behavior was completely unacceptable today. I should have put a stop to it far sooner than I did. Your human friends were not behaving themselves in a way fit for Court, either, but they do not know any better. Come. I would like to show you something."  
  
She followed him down the long, torch-lit corridors holding his hand. Up and up they seemed to go until Elenath could see white light filtering into the darkness from far ahead. Sunlight.  
  
"Another entrance?" she asked.  
  
"Just a courtyard of sorts," he replied, leading her to it and sighing contentedly. It was just as he had left it. Three trees swayed in the breeze, surrounded by steep rocky walls that grew thick with flowers of every description. In the center of the trees was a statue made of marble.  
  
Elenath was drawn to the statue at once. It was in the likeness of a female Elf, taller than herself, with a curvy, powerful build. She was fair of face and her eyes seemed to hold a far-off gaze, but her presence was regal, demanding respect. At her waist the artist had carved a sword – an exact replica of the one Elenath now carried - and at her feet were many smooth stones of the size that would fit into her palm. Each of these was carved with Elvish characters. "Who is this?"  
  
"It is you, Elenath," replied the Prince, stooping to pick up a large crystalline rock from the pile and handing it to his wife.  
  
She looked at it. "What is this?"  
  
"When you died, Elenath, everyone who wished to pay tribute to you wrote messages on stones which were placed here at the feet of this statue. The stone that you hold in your hand is my tribute."  
  
"What does it say?"  
  
"It says, 'I will never truly live again until I hold you in my arms once more. May the Valar grant you a safe and swift return.'" He pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. "My prayer was answered."  
  
Elenath gazed at the statue, pulling away from him and gently placing the stone at its feet again. She had changed so dramatically in appearance. The statue had a sturdy voluptuous build, and she herself was small and… well… delicate-looking. Her grandmother had said she looked like a china doll, though looks in this case were deceiving. She proved that in her martial arts training. "Legolas… are you disappointed in how I have changed?"  
  
He smiled at her. "No. I am very pleased."  
  
***  
  
Weeks passed, and then a month. Summer turned to autumn, and as the leaves turned to gold and brown, the orcs grew restless. Scouts returned with reports that the monsters could be heard late into the night talking of an attack on Northern Mirkwood. But always these discussions ended with the observation that they would have a far better chance if they waited for the Elves to come to them.  
  
It was during an intense day of battle training that the Lord of the Eagles flew into Mirkwood and perched at Thranduil's side.  
  
"Greetings, King Thranduil!" said the Eagle, "I see that you are in a bit of trouble. Your borders are blocked by orcs."  
  
"You see rightly, my friend," replied King Thranduil. "What brings you so far from your home?"  
  
"Rumors of this very thing. I have come to offer the assistance of my fellow Eagles. Though we have never allied ourselves with Elves or any other creature, the orcs are many and they must not be allowed to thrive."  
  
"I am honored by your offer," replied the king with a nod to the bird. "Would you be willing to take messages to the armies of Rivendell, and to the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn of Lorien? For we are in need of help from our Elven brothers."  
  
"It will be as you say," agreed the Eagle. "What shall be the date of the battle?"  
  
Thranduil thought for a long moment. "Two weeks from now is the full moon. A month from that day, on the next full moon, we will engage the orcs in battle to try to open the road to Rivendell. All who wish to join us should be ready at sunup on that day."  
  
"I will pass the message personally, King Thranduil, and I and my subjects will join you in battle."  
  
"We will be forever in your debt," replied the King. "Godspeed, my friend."  
  
With that the Eagle took off, circling high in the air before heading west, in the direction of Rivendell. 


	28. Confrontation in the Stables

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
28.  
  
Elenath sank down into the hot springs with a long sigh. Her muscles ached and her skin glistened with the sweat of a hard workout. But it wasn't just her muscles that she was trying to soothe with a hot bath. Her heart also ached, for Legolas had grown distant from her since his father had set a date for the battle. She had scarcely seen him for two weeks. He trained hard all day and sat in council with military advisors late into the night. The princess had gotten into the habit of taking her meals with Kara and David, all the while trying to pretend that Legolas' absences did not bother her in the least.  
  
But they did bother her. What happened to the days when he would refuse the summons of his father to spend just a few extra moments with her? What happened to the times when he would stop to kiss her hand as he walked by with the royal advisors?  
  
She sighed and ducked her head under the hot water and stayed there for a long moment, enjoying the warmth and the silence before coming up for air.  
  
Elenath knew that Legolas was distracted and worried. Still, it hurt to see him walk by and not even notice her. It hurt when he sank into bed late at night so preoccupied that he could hardly return her kisses.  
  
"Quel kaima (Sleep well)" she would say with a sigh at times like that, resting her head on his chest, her tears unnoticed by him.  
  
"Not now, Melamin," he would frequently say when she asked for a moment of his time. "Soon, I promise."  
  
Sometimes she would return from an afternoon archery lesson to find him emerging from the hot spring. Always when this happened, she would greet him happily and retrieve his towel from the nearby rack. Lovingly she would wrap it around him and begin to dry him off, but invariably he would gently take the towel from her hand with a murmured apology and quickly finish the job himself. Then he would dress and leave the room with hardly a word spoken.  
  
That was what had just happened a few minutes ago. Only this time as Legolas left, Elenath had whispered, "Amin mela lle (I love you)," but he was either in too much of a hurry to reply or he hadn't heard her.  
  
Now, sitting in the hot spring and washing the dirt from her body, she whispered those words again: "Amin mela lle, Legolas…" and began to cry silently.  
  
"God," she prayed, "I don't know what I'm doing wrong here. Please help me!"  
  
"Amen," said Kara, and Elenath jumped, looking up at her friend with wide eyes.  
  
"Kara"  
  
"Hey, girl," she said, lifting her skirts and sitting down, dangling her feet into the water. "I came to see how you're holding up under all this pressure."  
  
"Not so good," said Elenath in a trembling voice.  
  
"I thought not," replied Kara. "That's more than just bath water dripping down your face."  
  
"Yeah," she whispered, splashing idly.  
  
"So tell me all about it. What's bothering you?"  
  
The two of them ended up sitting on the bed, Elenath wrapped loosely in Legolas' robe and bawling in her friend's arms.  
  
"I don't know what to do," she sobbed. "I can't get him to stand still long enough to tell him how I feel. Even if he would stop to listen, I would feel guilty for pulling him away from his duties."  
  
"Guilty?! Elenath, you're his wife!"  
  
"But he's a prince," Elenath sniffled. "He has responsibilities… duties…."  
  
"He's also your husband."  
  
"It hasn't seemed like it in about two weeks," replied the princess.  
  
Kara was silent for a moment, offering Elenath a handkerchief. She took it gratefully and dabbed at her eyes. "Am I doing something wrong?"  
  
Kara shook her head. "This isn't your fault…. You know when I went though all that premarital counseling with Pastor Mike he said something to me that might be helpful."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"If he won't come to you, then go to him."  
  
***  
  
David knew that something was not right. Though Elenath tried to hide it, he could see it in her eyes. His fears were confirmed that afternoon as he passed by her chambers and overheard the whole sad story of what was going on. Fuming, he went in search of the prince.  
  
He found Legolas alone in the stables, grooming his horse with a gentle hand. "I beg a word with you, Your Highness."  
  
The prince did not even turn around. "Not now, my friend. I am busy."  
  
David stepped forward and placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder. "Alright then. I DEMAND a word with you, and I'll have it even if I have to tie you down to get it."  
  
Legolas sighed. "This is the one time each day that I have a moment of peace and quiet. And you want to fill it with words."  
  
"I would not press the issue if it was not important."  
  
"Fine," said Legolas. "What is it?"  
  
"Your wife is not happy."  
  
A surprised look crossed the prince's face. "She seems so to me."  
  
"Open your eyes, Legolas. She tries to hide it, especially from you, but she's dying inside."  
  
"How do you know this?"  
  
"I heard her talking to Kara – Weeping in her arms is more like it. She says you've hardly spoken to her in two weeks and she wonders what she has done to displease you."  
  
Legolas turned back to his horse and began to braid its mane. "I have a busy schedule."  
  
"Then you need to change it," said David.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Look at yourself!" said the Man forcefully. "You give that horse more attention than you give your own wife!"  
  
"That's not true," said Legolas as he realized that it was.  
  
That was the last straw. David took the prince by his collar and backed him firmly against the wall. "I threatened you once, Prince Legolas. Don't make me carry out that threat."  
  
With that, David turned and walked out. 


	29. You're Ugly and Your Mother Dresses You ...

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
29.  
  
"If Legolas won't come to me, then I should go to him?" Elenath repeated.  
  
"Yes," said Kara. "Just sort of show up wherever he is."  
  
"But Kara, you don't just 'show up' at a war council uninvited. I mean, the only person they let in there, aside from the participants, is the maidservant who serves their meal."  
  
"You're the Princess. You should be invited. Even David sits on the council." sulked Kara.  
  
She shrugged. "Maybe I am invited and I just don't know it. I just never asked and they've never requested my presence. Still, I don't think it would be a good idea to just waltz in there and sit in Legolas' lap, you know?"  
  
Kara's eyes sparkled. "Aw, why not? That might be fun. And it would certainly make a point now, wouldn't it?"  
  
"I won't do it," said Elenath resolutely. "I'm trying to get Legolas to notice me, not to shock the Court. But surely there must be some way…"  
  
"I've got it!!" exclaimed Kara, drawing her friend close and whispering in her ear.  
  
Elenath collapsed on the bed laughing. "Kara, you're a genius!"  
  
***  
  
Legolas charged after David like a bull toward a red cape. Grabbing the Man's shoulder, he turned him around and said, "You do NOT threaten a member of the royal household in a time of war, David. Whose side are you on, anyway?"  
  
"Whoah, Princie! I don't like those ugly critters any more than you do. But no one – and I mean no one – plays Elenath like that. Not while I still draw breath."  
  
"Which might not be for much longer," said the prince, his eyes narrowing.  
  
"Oh, now you're threatening me, are you? Well that's all right YOUR HIGHNESS." He bowed in mock respect. "You're a prince. You can threaten anyone you wish, can't you? And you can use any girl you want for your pleasure and then toss her aside when you've no time for her. Is that it, Legolas? You're despicable. Amin feuya ten lle. You disgust me."  
  
"How dare you say that I use her? I love her more than life itself."  
  
"Well you're sure not showing her that, are you?"  
  
"I'm doing the best that I can," growled the Prince, "She understands. She is an Elf and a princess and deep down she understands why I must be this way for a time. Not like a mere mortal who blows things out of proportion and longs for a woman he cannot have!"  
  
That was it. David could take no more. He launched himself at Legolas in blind fury, screaming every foul word he could think of as his fists connected with the prince's face.  
  
Legolas fought back with all of the pent up anger and frustration he'd felt over the last two weeks. His kingdom and his people were in danger. The things that he loved, even the trees and the woodland creatures, were surrounded by orcs. And he stood the chance of losing everything. To make it worse, everyone looked to him for answers because he was much more accessible than his father.  
  
"Will we survive this?" they asked. "Have we the troops to defeat them?"  
  
Above all, he worried about his wife. Night and day, she was all he thought of as he trained for battle and laid out plans to defeat the orcs. She would not be taken from him again. He would not allow it.  
  
"You've got it all wrong!" the prince bellowed as he hammered David's face and torso with his fists. "I do everything for her. Not a moment goes by that I'm not thinking of her."  
  
David blocked and lunged and socked Legolas upside the head, "I don't even know why I bother. Stuck-up snotty royals! Elenath deserves better than you!"  
  
Legolas laughed at the hilarity of it all. "What? Like you? Frail creatures that Men are, do you think she could ever love you?"  
  
His laughter was silenced by David's well-placed kick to his solar-plexus, but he took the Man down with him and the two of them rolled around on the ground, caking themselves in dirt.  
  
"You toad! You –" David spewed off a string of words that would have made a sailor blush as he sat on Legolas' stomach and reared back to hit him.  
  
The Prince saw it coming and launched him about ten feet into the air, yelling, "Auta miqula orqu (Go kiss an orc)! Lle holma ve edan (You smell like a human)!"  
  
David landed headfirst in a huge haystack. All that stuck out were his feet and his muffled cry came from within: "Oh, yeah! Well, Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina (You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny)!"  
  
***  
  
Kara helped Elenath to dress in a low-cut gown the colors of autumn leaves flecked with gold. She sprinkled her friend's skin and hair with gold dust and crowned her gently with a garland of burgundy autumn flowers. "Beautiful," she said, "You really look like a princess now."  
  
Elenath laughed and twirled around, revealing her soft golden slippers. "Shall we depart for the kitchens?"  
  
"Yes, YOU shall," replied Kara. "This is a one-servant deal, remember? They won't let me in. No way. But you'll have two things going for you. You're the princess and you'll have their dinner."  
  
"Like I said, Kara. You are a genius."  
  
"Do you mean it?" asked her friend with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Absolutely!"  
  
***  
  
Legolas cracked a broad smile. He couldn't help it. The fact that the Man had learned just enough Elvish to tell him that his mother dressed him funny made him shout with laughter, and he collapsed against the haystack, under David's wriggling feet. "My mother dresses me funny!" he hooted, unable to stand up.  
  
Deep within the haystack, the prince could hear that David was laughing too. "Help me out of here!" he cried through his mighty guffaws.  
  
The Elf took firm hold of the Man's boots and gave a mighty tug, the two of them toppling over together in another fit of laughter.  
  
"Who taught you how to say that?" asked Legolas, giggling uncontrollably.  
  
David shook with mirth. "I'll tell you if you show me how you threw me into that haystack."  
  
They finally stopped laughing and looked at each other. Their hair was tangled with hay and their torn clothes were a mess of dirt. Together they sported two black eyes, one split lip and various highly visible scratches and bruises. Not only that, but they both realized at the same time that they were about to be late for the council.  
  
"Ed iear ar elenea (by the sea and stars)! We're late!" shouted Legolas. "My father will have our heads!"  
  
With that, they scrambled to their feet and half-ran and half-limped as fast as they could toward the palace, not pausing even to clean themselves up before clamoring into the already-full council chamber. 


	30. The Surprising and Joyous Announcement

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
***START A/N*** OK for all of you Tolkien buffs out there. The end of this chapter strays from what Tolkien wrote about Elves, or so I've heard. I'm about to explore some uncharted territory. Call it artistic license. :) That's all I've got to say about that or I'll ruin the surprise! Oh! And someone asked in the reviews what kind of church I go to. It's a non- denominational one of the spirit-filled charismatic evangelical type. In other words, we gotta rock band instead of an organ, we believe in the gifts of the Spirit, and we try to complete the Great Commission. ***END A/N***  
  
30.  
  
"Excuse me," said Elenath to the maidservant who had just finished placing wine goblets onto a large wooden cart that was heavy-laden with food, wine, and pitchers of water.  
  
The Elf turned quickly and dropped immediately into a curtsy. "Your Majesty!"  
  
"Please," said Elenath, "You needn't curtsy. I've come to ask a favor of you."  
  
"Anything, Princess. Whatever you need."  
  
The princess smiled. "Go home to your family and have a nice relaxing night off. I will take care of the Council this evening."  
  
"But Your Majesty, I would be shirking my duty to allow you to do so. The King will be angry. This kind of thing just isn't done."  
  
"It is now, and I will deal with the King," said Elenath with a mischievous smirk. "Now go. Enjoy yourself."  
  
"Yes, Princess," said the Elf with another curtsy. She disappeared quickly down the corridor, looking back once with a concerned expression on her face.  
  
***  
  
Those gathered in the council chamber erupted into a panicked uproar when Prince Legolas and David came running into the room, dirty, bruised and battered.  
  
"Mani Marte (What happened)?" demanded the King over the racket. "Have the orcs attacked?"  
  
"No, Father," said Legolas quickly. "Fear not. The orcs have not attacked." He calmed the Council as best he could, but refused to say any more on the matter. David followed suit, sinking silently into his chair and casting an amused glance at Legolas.  
  
Actually, the two of them fit in quite well with the bedraggled group that gathered that night. It had been a rough day of training and preparation. The battle date was only a month away. Estel had a hastily wrapped blood- soaked bandage on his upper arm where one of his fencing students had gotten the best of him. Raion's wrist was quite possibly broken. It had been wrapped and splinted. Thorondil had had a close encounter with an arrow earlier in the day (fortunately not one of Elenath's) and a deep scratch adorned his right cheek.  
  
"Well," said the king as he looked around, "It appears that we need to scale back our training or we will have no warriors left to fight the orcs."  
  
***  
  
I can do this, thought Elenath; I waited tables all through nursing school. I can certainly serve a party of ten. She wheeled the wooden cart carefully down the corridor to the room she had been directed to by the chef.  
  
The door was closed, so she rang the bell. There was a good deal of shuffling around inside before the King called out, "Enter!"  
  
The first thing that she noticed upon entering the room was that half of the Council members were injured. She had to swallow a gasp when she saw the sad state of her husband and David. It looked as if they had been in a barroom brawl. The second thing she noticed was that no one looked up at her as she came in the door. All the better for her, she decided.  
  
The Council was in deep discussion already, but she closed her ears to it and began to pour the wine, placing a goblet first in front of the King and doing the same for each of the Men and Elves gathered there. Elenath was amazed by the Council's almost complete disregard of her presence, even as she served them. In fact they did not even look at her until she reached Raion who happened to look up just as she placed his goblet on the table. He practically leapt from his chair in the middle of Thorondil's long commentary about Mirkwood's dismal lack of good sword makers.  
  
"My Lady!" he said, bowing low.  
  
Suddenly all eyes were on her. Ten chairs were pushed back from the table, and ten Council members were bowing to her in varying degrees.  
  
"Hello," she said cheerfully, just as she had done for four years working at Kevin's Kountry Kitchen. "My name is Elenath and I'll be your server this evening. We will start the meal with a leafy garden salad and then move onto a wonderful roast rabbit and vegetable stew, along with the chef's special garlic herb bread. If there is anything extra that I can get for you, please let me know."  
  
They all just stood and stared at her, wide-eyed for a long moment. Finally David stage-whispered, "Elenath! What are you doing?"  
  
She smiled prettily. "Serving your dinner. Now please," she motioned to their chairs, "sit down. I know you must all be very hungry. It appears that you have had a particularly long day."  
  
Finally they all sat, casting confused glances at one another as Lord Elrond caught Elenath's eye and smiled. "You look absolutely lovely, my dear."  
  
"Thank you, Grandfather." She returned his smile and noticed that his gaze lingered on her eyes a bit longer than necessary. A shadow of question crept into his eyes, but he said nothing.  
  
With a mental shrug, Elenath continued serving the wine, and then set a crisp green salad in front of each person. It was going swimmingly well until she reached Raion and asked softly, "More wine, My Lord?"  
  
He stood up quickly. "This is preposterous! My Lady, please. Here, sit down in my place. I will call a servant. You are far above this!"  
  
She looked levelly at him, noting his injury. "You're wounded. I shall have to see to that later. Sit down."  
  
"But-"  
  
"As your princess I ask you again. Please sit down."  
  
He had no choice but to comply.  
  
As she placed a plate in front of Legolas, he captured her hand and squeezed it softly, meeting her eyes and whispering, "You are more beautiful than a thousand vibrant autumns. I've missed you, My Love."  
  
"And I you," she replied softly, kissing his bruised forehead.  
  
The rest of her serving was done in silence as the Council debated everything from strategy to diplomacy with the Eagles. She could not help but notice her grandfather's gaze meeting her own quite frequently, as if he could see something odd about her that the others could not. He always looked in her eyes, especially when she came close, into her eyes and through them, as if he were peering into her soul. It was a bit unnerving, but she chalked it up to having not seen him for more than a moment or two at a time during the past two weeks.  
  
It seemed hours later when she finally finished tending to everyone's gashes and bruises as best she could with her small amount of training in Elvish medicine. She removed all of the hay from David's short hair with a simple brush-through with her fingers. Legolas' was a little bit more difficult. It would require the use of a comb, so she gave up and headed toward the door with a curtsy.  
  
"Wait!" exclaimed Elrond, standing up and interrupting Legolas' dissertation on orkish weaponry. "Tula. Come here, Child."  
  
Everyone fell silent as she made her way to her grandfather who took her chin gently in his hand and gazed deeply into her eyes. A smile crept onto his face. And then he began to chuckle.  
  
"What is it, Grandfather?" she asked in a timid voice, for his strange behavior was very frightening to her.  
  
Elrond said nothing to her, but called Legolas to his side. The Prince came immediately and stood next to his wife, taking her hand in his.  
  
"Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood," said Elrond in the most regal voice that he could muster through his delighted laughter, "You are going to be a father!" 


	31. Questions

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
31.  
  
"What?!" Elenath's question echoed through the silent Council chamber.  
  
"A child grows in your womb," said Lord Elrond. "Early next summer, or perhaps in late spring, you will hold a baby in your arms."  
  
"What?" she whispered as Legolas wrapped his arms around her from behind. "You… You can't possibly know that! Not just by looking at me!"  
  
Elrond looked surprised. "Of course we can tell by looking at you! How else are we supposed to tell?"  
  
"Well, with blood tests," she replied, "and ultra-sounds. And home pregnancy tests!"  
  
"None of which exist here," mentioned David in a rather dazed voice.  
  
"Are you sure of this, Lord Elrond?" asked the Prince.  
  
"Honestly, Legolas," laughed Elenath's grandfather, "Are you truly surprised? How long has it been since you looked your wife in the eyes?"  
  
"Far too long," mumbled the Prince, "obviously."  
  
"I would say… oh, about two weeks!" exclaimed the older Elf. "It is as plain as day. See for yourself."  
  
Legolas turned his trembling wife toward himself gently and looked into her eyes. It took only a moment for him to pick out the telltale faint blue aura around her irises. "It's true," he said, pulling her close and wrapping her in a warm embrace.  
  
Elenath's mind went numb. Unless Elrond and Legolas were playing some kind of sick joke on her, she was pregnant. What rotten timing. What utterly horrible ghastly timing. Here she was, expecting to fight a huge battle in one month's time. How was she supposed to do that in the throws of morning sickness and hormonal imbalances?  
  
But King Thranduil was jubilant. "This is wonderful news! The first new child in Mirkwood in a thousand years aside from our lovely Princess here! Haha!" He scooped his daughter-in-law up and spun her around until she could not help but laugh with him a little. "Legolas, you are hereby dismissed from this Council until further notice! And I do not want to see either one you at weapons training tomorrow either! You've weighty matters to ponder, my son!" He set the Princess down next to her husband and laughed again, heartily.  
  
Estel's reaction surprised Elenath more so than the King's. He approached the Princess quietly and knelt before her, resting his hand on her belly, and speaking softly to the child within, "Aa elen lumen omentilmo, Aiaer (May a star shine on the hour of our meeting, Little One)."  
  
Elenath looked at him with questions in her eyes and he smiled. "It is an Elvish blessing, My Lady. For a safe and joyful birth." Then he stood and looked into her eyes as he added, "May the Valar pour an abundance of peace and love into your life as you carry this child," and kissed her softly on the forehead.  
  
The blessing made her feel a little better and she smiled weakly. "Thank you, Estel."  
  
He bowed in response. "An honor to be the first," he said.  
  
"The first?" she asked.  
  
"You will receive many such blessings," explained Thranduil. "And you will feel their wonderful affects. For a blessing over an unborn child, or over one who is with child, is increased one hundred times. Such has always been the way of the Elves."  
  
David approached her next, grinning. "What did I tell you?" he demanded. "That note. Remember that note I wrote to you? Now I'm going to have three of you to look after! Elenath, I am only one man!"  
  
The princess remained alarmingly serious. "And I am only one Elf… with an entire Kingdom to look after."  
  
***  
  
Elenath was unsure of exactly how or when she came to be in her own chambers. It had all been a blur of happy congratulations and inner turmoil. But Legolas had taken her from the pandemonium of the Council chamber as quickly as he could, excusing himself from the Council and everything else with his father's approval.  
  
The princess sat combing through his wet hair now, unsuccessfully trying to give voice to her concerns. She had so many questions that she could not decide which one of them to ask first. All that came out of her mouth was, "What-? When-? How-?" and an occasional, "Oh, my God," or "Jesus help me."  
  
Finally Legolas turned and grabbed the comb from her hand. "Stop. Stop right there."  
  
She looked at him with wide eyes, her hands trembling. "When…?"  
  
"Shhh, My Love." He placed a finger over her lips and she stared at him helplessly. His black eye had already started to heal, leaving only a puffy redness, and his other bruises were all but gone. "Calm yourself. Why do you tremble so? Why are your eyes full of fear?" He rested his hand lightly on her belly. "This is a gift. A very rare gift among our people. You should be delighted." He smiled. "I am."  
  
In a way, so was she, but the timing was all wrong. She said the first thing that came to her mind. "Pregnant women do not fight in wars."  
  
"Ah," said Legolas, finally understanding his wife's distress. "Melamin, you have much to learn about Elves. You are right. Pregnant women do not fight in wars. But pregnant Elves do, if they and their husbands wish."  
  
"But… how could I? How could I risk an innocent child's life? And what if I get sick? I've had friends who got pregnant and they were so sick they could hardly hold their heads up, let alone ride a horse or swing a sword."  
  
"Human friends?" asked the Elf.  
  
She nodded.  
  
He smiled at her. "You have much to learn about Elves. And I think that you will be quite pleased with what I have to say." 


	32. Answers

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
32.  
  
Elenath smiled at her husband. "So tell me then, Great Prince of Mirkwood, all about Elves."  
  
"Well," he said, "For one thing they do not get sick when they are pregnant. And for another, pregnant Elves are the most thoroughly blessed individuals in all of Middle Earth."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Legolas pulled her near and gazed deeply into her eyes. "May you be filled with peace and joy at the thought of bearing our child." Then he kissed her forehead softly.  
  
She felt the worry lift from her shoulders like a heavy weight and let a smile touch her lips briefly.  
  
"There," he said, "Did you feel that?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You will receive hundreds of such blessings. You will not be sick, tired, or in any way inconvenienced. In fact, there is an even better benefit to this. A great benefit. The timing of this pregnancy could not have been any better."  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked as he drew the dagger from her boot.  
  
"Do you trust me?"  
  
She nodded. "I would worry if I did not, my husband. Wouldn't you?"  
  
He smiled and stood up, moving away from her, tossing the dagger in the air and catching it a couple of times. "Hold still. Do not move."  
  
Elenath watched him with wide eyes as he drew the dagger back and aimed it directly at her. "Legolas…?"  
  
"Do not move," he repeated with a grin.  
  
Had her husband gone crazy? Had she gone crazy? She forced herself to stay still as he let fly and watched in terror as the knife somersaulted through the air toward her. It would hit her dead center, just above where she knew the child rested in her womb. Still, she did not move. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain she knew was coming.  
  
*Clink!*  
  
Elenath knew that was the sound of the dagger hitting the stone wall behind her and she let out her breath and opened her eyes, glaring at Legolas. "You! You tried to kill me!"  
  
He sat down next to her and took her into his arms again. "And you would have let me?"  
  
"Well, I-" she turned around and saw the knife, behind her and to the right. "What happened? It was coming right at me!"  
  
"The best benefit of all in such a time as this. You're pregnant," he replied. "There are very few weapons in all of Middle Earth that could harm you. One of them is at your side."  
  
"Where are the others?"  
  
Legolas thought for a moment. "Some have been lost. At one time an axe and a spear existed, I believe. Now only my father's knives, Lady Galadriel's arrows and Lord Elrond's sword remain. These all, except for your sword, were made by the Elven artisans of old who infused them with the power to penetrate anything, living or not."  
  
"Why would they have made such weapons?" she asked, horrified.  
  
"Dragons. They were made to fight the dragons."  
  
"Dragons?" she asked, the fear evident in her voice.  
  
"Do not worry, My Love. The very few that remain never come into Mirkwood. They know better."  
  
She shook her head. "Elves, orcs, dragons, talking eagles, trees that sing…. I made up my mind long ago that I am not dreaming, but sometimes I still wonder."  
  
"Melamin," said the prince softly, "Are you not beginning to remember this place? Your people? Me?"  
  
She rose to her knees and kissed him softly until he became pliable enough beneath her touch that she was able to easily push him over. His soft protest when she broke the kiss brought a smile to her face. The fact that the angelic being in her arms loved her, desired her, and needed her was still difficult for her believe. Happily resting her head on his chest and listening to the steady beating of his heart, her own seemed to fall into rhythm with it. "My heart remembers you completely. My mind remembers more day by day. Please be patient with me, My Prince."  
  
"I am pleased that you follow your heart, Amaelamin (my beloved), instead of your mind. If I could not hold you as I am doing now; if I could not touch you and taste of your sweet lips; I fear that I would be consumed by sorrow."  
  
She sighed, pushing the tears that threatened to rise back down again. "And I almost have been consumed by it these past two weeks, Legolas. Why have you avoided me so? Have I done something to offend you?"  
  
"No," he whispered. "You did nothing wrong."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"Because my thoughts have been bent on keeping you safe, Elenath. I have been doing everything in my power to prepare for this battle because I will not allow anything to take you from me ever again." His arms tightened around her. "I am sorry that I brought sadness to your heart, and even more sorry that I did not realize what I was doing. David set me straight this afternoon."  
  
"Is that what happened to the two of you?" she asked.  
  
He chuckled. "Yes. But we worked out our differences." Growing serious again, he said, "Elenath, I never meant to hurt you. I swear I would never do so intentionally."  
  
"I know this in my mind, but heart is not so easily convinced. Please do not deprive me of your attention again, Legolas. I doubt that I could bear it."  
  
"Amin hiraetha," he whispered, his finger lightly tracing the gold-dusted skin above the gentle curve of her gown's neckline. "I am sorry. Let me make it up to you." His blue eyes caught hers and drew her in to a place where she felt altogether beautiful, whole, and loved. "Amin mela lle (I love you.)."  
  
It was an offer she could not refuse, and she gave herself completely to his gentle caresses and loving kisses.  
  
When morning came, she found herself still wrapped in his arms, his warm breath caressing the back of her neck. She could not hold back her happy tears then, thanking God in her heart for his abundant blessings. She could not help but remember the words that Jesus had spoken to her as they stood by the heavenly city: "The Prince of Mirkwood was made for you, and you for him. You are a perfect match." What had she done to deserve such a perfect blessing? Who was she to deserve such love?  
  
A still small voice whispered to her heart, "You are my beloved child."  
  
Jesus had said that he would always be with her, and now she knew that he was, though she could not see him. Her heart whispered in reply, "And I will follow wherever you lead if only you stay by my side." 


	33. Morning Interlude

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
33.  
  
Elenath and Legolas kept to themselves all that day. Only Raion disturbed them once, asking if they were in need of anything. Elenath requested food and laughed when Kara delivered it.  
  
"Apparently Raion thinks you are hiding an entire army in here. He requested enough food to feed one," said the Woman. "So what makes you so special that you're skipping all the hard work today?"  
  
Elenath cast a questioning glance at her husband.  
  
"You must be sworn to secrecy, Kara," said the Prince, smiling. "You cannot tell anyone until after the banquet tonight."  
  
"What banquet?" asked Elenath.  
  
"The huge one that the King is planning," replied Kara. "Some kind of celebration. Perhaps the orcs have given up and left our borders?"  
  
"I wish that was true, My Lady," said the Prince. "Do I have your word that you will not share our secret?"  
  
"Yeah," said Kara. "I promise. I won't tell a soul."  
  
Legolas nodded to his wife who grinned at her friend. "You might want to sit down."  
  
She pulled up a chair and sat. "Okay. Let me have it. I can handle it."  
  
"I'm going to have a baby," said Elenath.  
  
Kara shrieked in delight, tackling her friend with an enormous hug, much to the amusement of Legolas. "A baby! Oh Elenath, that's wonderful!"  
  
"I wanted to tell you before the announcement was made," she laughed delightedly.  
  
"It's a good thing you did! Because I would have looked like a fool hugging you like this with you all in your Princess get-up."  
  
***  
  
Mirkwood was delighted with the news that there would be a child born to the royal house. The celebration lasted far into the night, but the next day, it was back to business as usual. Elenath rose early with her husband and prepared for a day of intense training.  
  
"I have a lot to learn if I'm going to be any good to this army," she said.  
  
"You are doing fine, Melamin. Remember, they cannot harm you. We shall have Thorondil work with you on some attack techniques today."  
  
She nodded to him. "Sounds good."  
  
She began to pull her hair back into a ponytail, but he stopped her. "Your hair should be left down for battle, Melamin. I have never seen an Elf fight with his hair bound up as you do."  
  
"I don't like for it to be in my eyes," she said. "How can you stand it?"  
  
They were about to be late, but he motioned for her to sit. "I will show you. Here." Quickly but expertly he combed through her hair with his fingers and pulled the sides back into a loose braid on top of her head. Then kneeling in front of her, he added two more thin braids to each side, tucking them behind her ears. "There. Now you are the most beautiful warrior in Mirkwood."  
  
She looked into his eyes and smiled. "And I am at your service, Your Highness."  
  
"Is that so?" he asked, a twinkle in his eyes.  
  
She nodded and he leaned forward, twining his fingers through her hair, his eyes never leaving hers.  
  
"Then I would like a kiss," he said in his most princely voice.  
  
"Seasamin (My pleasure)," she whispered before obeying his command, teasing him at first with light kisses until he gently took control, practically taking her breath away.  
  
When he finally broke the kiss, he said, "My Love, if we were not late for practice, I would ask you to do that again."  
  
"You needn't ask." She smiled and pressed her lips to his once more, letting herself be swept into the ecstasy of all that was Legolas: the softness of his skin, his silken hair, the strength of his arms around her, and the scent that was all his own. Even the taste of him thrilled her. Her heart fell as she heard footsteps approaching and felt Legolas pull away from her.  
  
"I think we're in trouble," whispered the Prince as he looked up to see Thorondil standing in their doorway.  
  
The captain of the Royal Guard stared at them sternly for a moment before allowing a smile to soften his features. "How did I know that I would find you here? The King requests your presence on the practice field. Immediately." 


	34. A New Sort of Warriors

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
34.  
  
"I just remembered something, Legolas," said Elenath as they hurried down the corridor and out into the bright autumn sunlight behind Thorondil.  
  
"And what is that, My Love?"  
  
"Your father is a stickler for promptness. What do you think he will do to us?"  
  
Legolas chuckled. "Throw us into the dungeons, perhaps."  
  
The prince grew more serious, however, as they approached the king and heard the angry tone of his voice.  
  
"…gate should have been closed long ago. You've no idea what you've done bringing them here!"  
  
Elenath looked up to see what was happening and saw Pastor Mike standing there, head down, listening to the King with great respect. Behind him and surrounded by Royal Guards were a woman, a small child, and about ten teenagers sitting on the grass, their postures tall and fearless. They chanted together:  
  
"…This I pledge, and I'll take it to my death  
  
I'll lay my life down for you and die over again  
  
I and I I'm not ashamed of the Most High  
  
Even if I die tonight, if I die tonight…  
  
"This I pledge, and I'll take it to my death  
  
You can bet your life on my words and everything I said  
  
You can't take away my love for this sacrifice  
  
Even if I die tonight, if I die tonight.  
  
[From "The Messenjah" recorded by POD, Lyrics by Sonny Sandoval]  
  
The Princess could hardly believe her ears or her eyes. Pastor Mike had brought his new family, plus an assortment of kids from the church youth group, as if this was some kind of field trip.  
  
"Your Highness," said Mike, "The gate admits whomever it will. I did not mean for them to come, and I am still unsure as to how we all came to be here. One moment we stood in our church praying, and the next we were here, just outside the gates of the palace. Perhaps warriors such as these are needed in Middle Earth?"  
  
"Warriors!" exclaimed the King, "You brought a Woman… and children! Look at them!"  
  
Elenath could take no more. She stepped out from behind Thorondil with a deep curtsy to the King, Legolas by her side. "You called for us, My Lord?"  
  
Upon seeing her, the entire group behind Mike tried to get to their feet, smiling and shouting, "Summer? Is that you?" but the guards forced them back down at arrow-point. All except for the four-year-old child, Rebecca, who ran toward the Princess with wild abandon, ignorant of the Elf who stood with his bow fixed on her as she ran.  
  
Legolas looked on in horror, addressing the guard angrily. "What is the meaning of this? She is but a child. Lower your weapon!"  
  
The guard obeyed at once as Elenath scooped the child up lovingly into her arms, hugging her tight as she turned back to the King, saying again, "You sent for us, Your Highness?"  
  
"Yes, I sent for you!" he said, "You were late! I-" He looked at her eyes suddenly and remembering the child that she carried within, began to chuckle. "Oh never mind. You are here now. That is the important thing. But about these so-called warriors-"  
  
"They ARE warriors," said Elenath, turning to look at the group gathered there. They were "her" kids. They did not give the impression of being typical church youth group material but rather looked as if they belonged at a Rave. The color of choice for their clothing was mostly black. Three or four of them had wildly colored hair. Two of the boys had dreadlocks and a couple sported tattoos, not to mention multiple piercings. These were the kids she had taken under her wing, teaching them to look past the many mistakes made by the Church over the years to the awesome Truths of the Bible. She had encouraged their questions and listened with an open mind to their doubts until they began to blossom into nothing less than an army of God. Bending to no authority but that of Christ, they brought the light of His love into some of the darkest places on earth, and they did it fearlessly, without judging, condemning, or degrading anyone. The Holy Spirit had given many of them gifts of prophecy, wisdom, and healing, and Elenath had never heard anyone pray like these kids did. They were a force to be reckoned with. She looked back at the King and continued, "I know that they may look different, King Thranduil, but please believe me. They are warriors."  
  
The kids looked at her with hope etched in their faces, and she realized they really did think they were about to die. They were showing extraordinary courage and the King did not even realize it.  
  
Thranduil gazed at Elenath with a look that said he did not understand and she grew frustrated.  
  
Noticing her distress, Legolas came to his wife's aid. "Father, they are Princess Elenath's friends. Must they be kept at arrow-point? I beg of you, at least attempt to make them feel like guests instead of prisoners."  
  
He nodded, motioning the guards to stand at ease. "That will do," he said firmly as the group cautiously stood to their feet, "Welcome to Mirkwood…. Now, Mike, Please tell me exactly how you all came to be here and then I will have our servants show you to a place where you can rest if you so wish."  
  
Mike visibly relaxed and began the tale of how he had come to be in Mirkwood with his wife and her small child, and ten crazy teenagers. 


	35. Marcus and Susan

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
35.  
  
"It was really quite surprising," said Pastor Mike to the King and Legolas who had moved to stand by his father, "I still do not understand how we came to be here. I had gathered my congregation together to say farewell because I planned to travel to Andotempla tomorrow. Of course, I could not tell them this. I simply told them I was going to return home to my family and that was good enough for them."  
  
He told the king how the princess had been the teenagers' advisor, friend, and confidante before her disappearance and how they had bitterly mourned her loss. Then he paused and turned toward the group who had gathered around Elenath and stood all trying to hug her at once, happy tears streaming down their faces. He pointed out Marcus, one of the young Men, to the king. Marcus stood talking to the princess earnestly as the others listened intently. His hair was a mess of dreadlocks; he had a black trinity symbol tattooed on his forearm and a silver stud in his nose.  
  
"That one who speaks to Elenath now has the gift of knowledge," said Pastor Mike. "He can see things that most of us cannot see, and simply knows things without being told. He led the group that you see there up to my wife and me after the meeting and said, 'You are going away to find Summer, aren't you? I know that she is alive. God has revealed it to me.' Well, I couldn't say anything without speaking a lie, so I remained silent. The young man just nodded, as if he understood my dilemma, and told me that the ten of them had decided to come with me."  
  
"And you just allowed them to?" asked the king.  
  
"Not exactly," said Mike. "Actually, I told them that would be impossible. It was too dangerous. I asked them to pray for me instead, and to pray for Summer – or Elenath as you know her here. Susan, the one over there with the purple hair, prayed that God would keep Summer safe and send whatever help that Summer needed right away. It was then that the world began to spin around us. A few moments later, we found ourselves here in Mirkwood."  
  
"You did not come through Andotempla?" asked Legolas.  
  
"No."  
  
Elenath approached them, then with Marcus by her side and the rest of the crew behind her just as the king said in Elvish, "This is a dangerous time in Mirkwood, Mike. My kingdom is surrounded by orcs, and that is why we train so seriously for battle. Time grows short." Legolas came up beside his wife and drew her near with one arm.  
  
"What's he saying?" asked Susan, leaning toward the princess and eying the prince suspiciously.  
  
Legolas smiled and began to translate for them when the king began to speak again.  
  
The king continued. "For your service to my son and to the princess by following her so bravely into the unknown, you deserve the greatest honors and feasts that Mirkwood has to offer. Unfortunately we haven't the luxury of time to give them at this point. Please forgive me this exclusion of protocol."  
  
"Of course," said Mike, bowing.  
  
"As for these… children, Mike, I do not know what to say. I only hope that they can care for themselves because we haven't the people to spare to make them feel truly welcome here." He shook his head. "Even the princess trains for battle."  
  
Mike laughed. "Nothing strange about that. She is Elenath, after all."  
  
The king remained serious. "Yes. But she is also pregnant."  
  
Uproar came from the teenagers then. "What is all this princess stuff?" asked Susan. "Do I have this right? Are you a princess? And who are YOU?" she asked Legolas, pointing a finger at him. "You come over here and grab her like she's your property or somethin'. Somebody needs to clue us in here. And Good God Almighty!" She turned to Elenath and grabbed her shoulders, "You're pregnant? Girl, I don't see no wedding band on your finger. After all the times you told us-"  
  
"Whoa! Hold up!" said Elenath, holding her hands up in the air, "Just hang on a minute. I know you've got a lot of questions, but let's not start throwing accusations around." She looked at Legolas and then back to the teens. "This is my husband Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, and yes, I am pregnant with his child." 


	36. No Fear

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
36.  
  
Elenath tried to explain to her young friends everything that she had learned about herself, but was quickly called away for practice with the guards. Fortunately, Kara showed up about that time, and after another emotional reunion, filled them in on everything from Elenath's Elven blood and Royal birth to her history with Legolas, while the preparations for battle went on around them. She left out the part about impending battle, unsure if they could deal with it. They had been upset enough when she told them that no, there was no electricity in Middle Earth.  
  
For a while after Kara fell silent, the newcomers watched Elenath train with the warriors of Mirkwood, shouting encouragement and saying things like, "Look at that wicked sword!" and "Man, this is freakin' awesome!"  
  
"No, this is not 'freakin' awesome,'" said Elenath, sitting out for a few moments to catch her breath. "This is freakin' for real. "  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Marcus.  
  
The princess sighed. "Sit down. I've got something important to tell you."  
  
They gathered in a tight circle as the Elves looked on curiously and Elenath caught her breath.  
  
"I've never lied to you," said the princess at last, looking each of them in the eye in turn, "and I don't intend to start doing so now."  
  
"That bad, eh?" said Marcus. "We're in trouble aren't we?"  
  
"Yeah," said Elenath. "Big trouble. Guys, it sounds to me like you prayed yourselves right into Mirkwood, and God would not have allowed you to come here without a good reason. But I have to say that I'm worried about all of you."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Susan, "Sum- I mean Elenath, this is us, remember? The ones who hit the drug houses and shine light into the darkness. We're cool. We can take care of ourselves."  
  
"You don't understand," said the Princess, "You've been dropped right in the middle of a war zone. This palace is secure, and the surrounding kingdom is relatively safe, but we are under siege, surrounded by the enemy and cut off from our allies."  
  
The kids did grow sober then. "You mean that we are all going to die."  
  
"I don't know," said Elenath. "Nobody knows. The creatures that surround us are orcs - the most hideous beasts that you could ever imagine. They are stupid but they fight with skill and some coat their blades and arrows with deadly poison. But the Eagles have been able to notify our allies – the Elves of Rivendell where I was born, and the Elves of Lorien. In about a month there will be a battle. Anything could happen then." She looked at the ground, opening herself to the young men and women around her. "I fear for my people and their way of life. I know that probably sounds crazy to you since I haven't been here that long, but it is true. This place has truly become my home and the Elves here are my family, though a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought of you."  
  
The teens gathered closer around her, some of them lying comforting hands on her. Marcus patted her on the arm. "You shouldn't fear. That was one of the first things you taught us, remember? No fear. You're a child of God. A princess not only here, but in the heavenly realms. You became one when you accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross."  
  
Susan nodded. "Romans eight fifteen. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a spirit of sonship. Jah looks at you as His daughter, Elenath. And He's one powerful Daddy."  
  
Elenath smiled at Susan's familiar reference to God. "Jah," a shortened form of Jehovah, was the name that they most often called Him.  
  
Another of the kids spoke up. "God is perfect love. First John four eighteen says there is no fear in love and perfect love drives out fear."  
  
Then to the Princess' delight, they began to shout in powerful voices:  
  
"O Lord," said the guys, and the ladies repeated it.  
  
"How many are my foes!" they shouted together.  
  
"How many rise up against me (rise up against me)!  
  
Many are saying of me,  
  
'God will not deliver him.'  
  
But You are a shield (a mighty shield) around me, O Lord;  
  
You bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  
  
To the Lord (To Jah) I cry aloud,  
  
And He answers me from His holy hill.  
  
I lie down and sleep (a peaceful sleep);  
  
I wake again for the Lord sustains me.  
  
I will not fear (no, I will not fear) the tens of thousands  
  
Drawn up against me on every side!"  
  
They stood up, raising their fists into the air and stomping their feet.  
  
"Arise O Lord!  
  
Deliver us, O my God!  
  
Strike all our enemies on the jaw;  
  
Break the teeth of the wicked.  
  
From the Lord comes deliverance.  
  
May Your blessing (AWESOME BLESSING) be on your people!"  
  
Everyone on the field had turned to look when they started chanting, including Prince Legolas. He saw a change come over his wife as her friends shouted those words. Her posture changed from afraid to confident. The worried expression on her face changed to a self-assured smile and he was suddenly very glad that they had come. Legolas sighed, just drinking in the beauty of his wife. She was like a flower against the black-clothed background of her young friends.  
  
"You all are such a blessing," she was saying to them. "Thank you so much."  
  
"Hey," said Marcus. "You've been there for us in countless dark times when nobody else would even give us the time of day. We love you, El. We're here for you, and you know that none of us is afraid to die."  
  
"We wouldn't be here if we were," laughed Susan.  
  
"Whatever you need," continued Marcus, "Just let us know. Maybe we're not warriors in the same way all of these guys are." He gestured to the Elves around them, "But anything we can do to help with this battle… Just let us know, a'ight?"  
  
Elenath regarded them with pride in her eyes. "Alright," she said, "You can pray. Pray like you've never prayed before."  
  
Legolas witnessed the whole scene from a distance, amazed at Elenath's simple request and her friends' willingness to help. He was about to approach them when Thorondil appeared at his side, riding one horse and leading another.  
  
"Your Highness," said the Captain of the Guard, "Am I right in assuming that you've grown restless within the walls of the palace?"  
  
He nodded. "You know me well, Thorondil. I long to ride through the forest but my father forbids it."  
  
"He has given me leave to scout the West Road and permission for you to come with me if you wish."  
  
Legolas was not about to miss such an opportunity. He had missed his freedom and mounted the horse at once. "Let me tell my wife."  
  
Thorondil just nodded, nudging his horse to follow Legolas' toward the group of young humans.  
  
Elenath was preparing to return to her practice when he came up beside her. Her smile when she turned toward him was brilliant and he could not help but return it. "Thorondil has requested my presence on a scouting mission," he said to her.  
  
Her smile faded. "Give me a moment and I will join you."  
  
Legolas reached out to lightly caress her cheek. "No. Stay here, my love. It has done you much good to see these old friends. I can see the change it has brought to you." He looked up and nodded to them, and then returned his gaze to Elenath. "I will return before the day fades into night."  
  
"Promise?" she asked.  
  
"Of course." With that, he bent low to kiss her. "Practice hard. The Elves of Mirkwood look up to you for strength and encouragement."  
  
"As you wish, Legolas, though I know that it is you they really look at for inspiration."  
  
The two of them exchanged smiles as he turned his horse and began to ride away.  
  
"My heart goes with you," she said to him.  
  
He turned his head to look at her again. "As always, my heart remains wherever you are." 


	37. Legolas Breaks His Promise

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
37.  
  
Legolas did not keep his promise to return that day. As the sun sank below the horizon, Elenath grew worried. She should have gone with him; should have insisted on doing so. Here behind palace walls she could do nothing but pray with David, Kara, and Pastor Mike and those who had arrived with him that day. She wanted to be at her husband's side, whatever the peril he faced, and she knew that he had to be in some kind of peril or he would be with her now.  
  
Elenath would not eat and refused to go to bed. Instead, she sat up with Marcus, Susan, Pastor Mike and his new wife Diana as the five of them continued to pray. Now and then some of the other teens would join them for a few minutes before stumbling back to bed.  
  
Finally, Lord Elrond approached the group and set a plate of food in front of Elenath.  
  
"I'm not hungry, Grandfather," she said. "I'm too worried to eat."  
  
He sat down next to her on the floor. "Your friends," he said, gesturing to them, "have the right attitude, it seems. They pray fervently just as this book says to do." He set Elenath's Bible down in front of her. "They do what they can, but they do not fret about what they cannot change."  
  
"I can't stand the thought of him hurt somewhere with no one to help him. Would you be so calm if it was me instead of him?"  
  
"You really love this Legolas guy, don't you?" asked Marcus, stumbling a little over the prince's name. "I never seen you so worried."  
  
"Yes I love him," she said. "Of course I love him. Somewhere in here," she knocked on her head, "are a thousand years of memories. A thousand years I have loved him! And my heart remembers every second. If he's not back by morning, I'm going out after him."  
  
"Elenath," said Elrond, "Do not be foolish."  
  
"What? What is foolish? They can't hurt me. I'm pregnant."  
  
"Elenath, it is true that the orcs would not be able to harm you, but make no mistake, they could hurt you. Pain is not always harmful to the body. If they captured you they would torture you horribly until you wished for death."  
  
"Like they're probably torturing Legolas now? How can you expect me to just sit here? I cannot!" Tears welled up in her eyes and Mike placed a comforting hand on her arm.  
  
"You do not know that the orcs have him. There could be many reasons he has not yet returned."  
  
"Such as? He gave me his word, Mike."  
  
After a time, Elrond finally convinced her to eat a little bit, but the plate was by no means empty when it was taken away from the room. Hours later, finally giving in to her weariness, she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes, slipping into a light slumber plagued with nightmares. 


	38. Through the Mist

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
38.  
  
A thick and heavy mist had rolled into Mirkwood during the night, obscuring the princess's vision, but Elenath's bay mare seemed to know where they were going. Elenath had risen at dawn's first light and snuck out of the underground palace to the stables where she used her royal status to secure a horse and provisions. She would find Legolas. Even if it meant being horribly tortured for a thousand years, she would find her husband and would not leave his side ever again.  
  
Elenath leaned forward slightly in her saddle and whispered gently in the mare's ear, just as Legolas had taught her. "Quickly now. We must find Legolas and Thorondil." She had already lost her father, and her mother had gone shortly after his death to recover her strength at Rivendell. How could she possibly face the rest of her long life without her husband and uncle by her side?  
  
Her mare cantered steadily forward, picking a path easily through trees and over rivers while Elenath lifted heartfelt prayers heavenward for the safety of her loved ones and her ability to find them. She stopped mid- sentence, however, as the fog began to lift, revealing a horrific scene that seemed to freeze time. Her heart skipped a few beats and her eyes would not focus on the two Elves who lay face down next to their slain horses in the fallen autumn leaves. One dark-haired; the other, fair. Elenath's heart sank.  
  
"No," she whispered as she dismounted and walked toward them. "No, please no…" Tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks as she reached out to touch the fair-haired Elf's shoulder. Already weeping bitterly, she gently turned him over, her gaze meeting the cold, lifeless blue eyes of Legolas. A piercing wail echoed though the wood, and only moments later did she realize that it came from herself. "No!" she screamed, pulling his body close to herself, wishing that she could die right there. Maybe the orcs would come for her. Why bother with life anymore?  
  
"Melamin, what is it?"  
  
The voice pierced her consciousness and she looked with hope at the Elf in her arms. He remained lifeless. She scanned the forest around her and saw nothing. But she felt the warmth of living arms around her. Am I hallucinating? she thought.  
  
"Amaelamin, come back to me…" It was definitely Legolas' voice, but that was impossible. Legolas was dead. She held his body in her arms.  
  
"Oh, Legolas," she wept, closing her eyes tightly against the pain that overwhelmed her heart. "Oh, God, why? Why did I ever let him go?" Loud sobs wracked her. "Forgive me, My Love," she begged, "Please forgive me."  
  
"Elenath, My Love, open your eyes."  
  
There was his voice again, along with the warmth of his breath on her cheek and the velvet touch of his lips upon hers. Maybe it was his spirit, calling her to follow. "Tula, Melamin. Come back to me, My Love. Open your eyes."  
  
She heard movement in the wood around her and smelled the same putrid scent that had permeated Legolas' room when the orcs had attacked there. "Let death come quickly," she prayed. "Please, Father, let it come quickly."  
  
"Open your eyes!" came the reply, and she did at last, her gaze meeting the blue living warmth of her husband's.  
  
Elenath felt her body jump and stiffen in Legolas' arms. The dim light of early morning was shining timidly through the skylight of the great hall of the underground palace, many concerned faces gathered around, including that of Thorondil. Her arms flew around her husband at once and she realized that she was still weeping.  
  
"Shhh…" he whispered to her. "You had a bad dream. That is all. You are safe now."  
  
"I… I've never experienced a dream so real." She clung to him, trying to regain her composure. "It was as if I was really there."  
  
"I know," he whispered. "I know, Melamin."  
  
She leaned her head against his shoulder and took deep breaths trying to calm herself. Elenath concentrated on the comforting circles that the prince was tracing on her back with the tips of his fingers and gradually began to breathe normally again. "Where have you been? I've been praying all night long."  
  
"I felt your prayers and those of your friends," he replied. "I could hear them, Elenath. They saved our lives, I am sure of it. Thank you."  
  
"It's what I was put here for," she replied, "But where were you? What happened?"  
  
He shook his head, unwilling to answer. "We both need sleep and neither of us will want to after I tell you where I have been. So I will tell you after we wake up."  
  
"But Legolas-"  
  
"Melamin, I'm sorry. I cannot bear to repeat it just now. Please… just come to bed and get some rest." He looked around at the crowd that had gathered and whispered to her in Elvish, "Please, Elenath. Come to bed with me. Not an hour ago I feared I would never see you again. Now I just need you to stay close to me."  
  
She sighed and managed a weak smile. "As you wish, My Prince." 


	39. What Legolas Saw

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
39.  
  
Elenath could not erase the mental picture of Legolas' lifeless blue eyes or the feel of his body as dead weight in her arms. As she lay in bed next to him, she drifted off to sleep over and over again, only to wake with a start, grasping for the warmth of her husband's hand or the security of his embrace. Each time she woke, she found him awake also, watching her, running his fingers through her hair, tracing the contours of her body with his fingertips, whispering endearments to her, his eyes glowing with love.  
  
When she jolted awake for the fifth time, he gently wiped her fresh tears away and pulled her close, inviting her to rest her head on his chest. "Mani marte, Melamin (What happened, My Love)? What did you dream that frightens you so?"  
  
"I dreamed that I went looking for you and Thorondil, and that I found you both dead, lying on the forest floor. Every time I close my eyes now I see you that way… and when I go to sleep it becomes so real." She shook her head. "I feel like a child. It was only a dream, and yet…"  
  
He hugged her close. "I assure you that I am alive, though that almost was not so. I tell you now; I will never take another day of my life for granted. And I will treasure each and every moment that I have with you, Amaelamin (My Beloved). Now rest. I will be right here sleeping next to you."  
  
"I will try," she sighed, closing her eyes as Legolas began to sing to her.  
  
"You are my hiding place  
  
And my strong tower  
  
Protect me from darkness  
  
Save me in your power…"  
  
Elenath lifted her head and gazed at him. "I used to sing that when I was afraid, on the other side of the Gate. How do you know it?"  
  
He kissed her forehead. "I told you, Melamin. Thorondil and I could hear your prayers and the songs that you sang for us… And you sang this one many times."  
  
"You're right," she murmured. "I guess I did."  
  
"Deliver me from my foes," he continued to sing,  
  
That I might exalt your name  
  
Lord God, I will take refuge in you  
  
And your Son who overcame."  
  
"I will praise you O Lord  
  
With all of my heart.  
  
I will tell of your great wonders.  
  
The angels rejoice  
  
In your name, O Lord God,  
  
Their voices as loud as thunder.  
  
And I will join  
  
In their songs of praise  
  
As you drive my foes asunder!"  
  
She finally relaxed as he sang; amazed that he had heard their songs and prayers in the darkness of the previous night. How is it possible? She prayed silently, How could he have heard us from such a great distance?  
  
The answer came immediately to her heart. "The prayers of My children reach the ears of any or My warriors who wish to hear. And Legolas wished many times throughout the night to hear your voice."  
  
Pondering this, she sighed and closed her eyes, finally drifting into a peaceful sleep.  
  
***  
  
They slept for many hours, finally rising just before dinner was to be served in the Great Hall. A special Council had been called directly following that, to discuss what Legolas and Thorondil had discovered on their trek.  
  
Elenath and Legolas were dressing for dinner when Marcus knocked timidly on their door. The princess almost did not recognize him, as the Elves had given him clean clothing to wear, and none of it was black. He wore green leggings, a light-colored linen tunic with a brown leather belt and Elven boots. His black dreads were pulled back into a loose ponytail, revealing his bright green eyes with an intensity the princess had never seen before. She nodded to him with a smile. "Lle maa quell."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You look good," she said. "I like the clothes."  
  
Marcus looked down at himself and shook his head. "I feel like… well… if I was back home, I'd feel pretty stupid, El."  
  
"But you're not back home."  
  
He grinned. "Don't tell the others, but I kinda like them."  
  
Elenath placed Legolas' crown gently on the prince's head. "What can I do for you, Marcus?"  
  
"Actually," he said, "I…"  
  
Legolas looked up at the young Man curiously as Marcus approached him.  
  
"Actually, Prince Legolas… Your Highness or whatever… I came to warn you about the dragon."  
  
"Dragon?" he asked, placing Elenath's crown on her head.  
  
"Yeah," said Marcus. "The orcs have a dragon. I thought you should know."  
  
"I already knew," whispered the prince. "That is one of the reasons that Thorondil and I were delayed. But you mustn't tell anyone else just yet. We hold council tonight on this very topic."  
  
"Beware the dragon," said Marcus. "It must be slain or Mirkwood will fall."  
  
Legolas nodded. "Perhaps you should join us for council."  
  
"Sure," said Marcus. "Whatever you need."  
  
With that he turned and left the room.  
  
"How did he know that?" asked the Prince. "I have told no one and Thorondil is one of my most trusted advisors. He would not have told any but the king."  
  
She looked at him with fear in her eyes. "Legolas, Marcus just knows things sometimes. It is a gift from God. Did he say that the orcs have a dragon?"  
  
"Yes," he replied with a sigh. "A dragon has allied itself with them, for it seeks the riches of Mirkwood. This battle will be much more difficult than we expected."  
  
"But surely there is hope?"  
  
"There is always hope," replied Legolas, "Even in darkest despair."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Elenath, I am loath to tell you this, but the orcs had your mother, Llilwen. They must have captured her as she rode to Rivendell. We tried to rescue her but it was a trap. I still cannot tell you how we escaped. Your God must have answered your prayers. One moment the hideous beasts were all around us and the next we were riding swiftly for home."  
  
"But what of my mother?" she asked. "Was she well?"  
  
Legolas shook his head; rare tears beginning to form in his eyes. "She was badly injured, Melamin. We managed to bring her home alive, but she is not herself and perhaps will never be again. Llilwen neither speaks nor weeps but rather sits staring as one with no reason to live. Who knows what horrors she experienced at the hands of our enemies?" The princess looked at him with such pain in her eyes that he practically crumpled to the floor on his knees. "I am sorry. I… I swear I did everything that I could do. I would have given my life to allow Thorondil to bring her back to you as she was before..."  
  
"Before I returned to Mirkwood," she sighed. "How many lives will my presence ruin in this place?"  
  
"Do not say such things," replied her husband. "You spent most of your previous life protecting the lives of those around you as the bearer of Calmakil. You have sacrificed and given to the point of death, Elenath, and now we are honored do the same for you. We are your family, as you said to your young friends yesterday, and we love you. Never, ever think that you are not welcome here."  
  
"If things continue as they have," she cried, "Then I will have no family left when this is over." 


	40. Prayers for Llilwen

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
40.  
  
"I want to see my mother," Elenath whispered, starting toward the door, but Legolas stopped her.  
  
"You cannot," he said. "She is with the healers, and they will do their best to bring her back, but I have seen this before and … Amin hiraetha," whispered Legolas again, his tears spilling over. "I am sorry. If only I could have-"  
  
She met his clouded eyes and exclaimed, "It's not your fault, Legolas! It's not your fault. Please don't take that burden upon yourself."  
  
His head dropped into his hands. "I just… My heart aches within me, Elenath. All I want is to protect you from the evil in this world; to keep you safe from harm and shield you from this kind of pain. And I have failed. I have failed miserably. What kind of a husband am I? What kind of a father will I be?"  
  
Her emotions were raw with this newest loss, and she finally let go of them, sobbing uncontrollably even as she tried to comfort her husband. "…Impossible to keep me safe from all of this… Not your fault… You'll be a wonderful father… Soon this will all be over…"  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Thorondil knocked on their door. When there was no answer, he quietly entered, finding the Prince and Princess still weeping, now silently, into each other's arms on the floor. He said nothing, but knelt next to them, gathering them both up into his arms.  
  
"Have courage," he whispered. "You must have courage. Dry your tears as I have dried mine. We have much work to do." His throat constricted at the pain he saw in the Royal Couple's eyes. "Do not despair. I feel that Llilwen will return to us. Elenath, your young friends are with her even now if you would like to join them."  
  
***  
  
Kara had taken charge of the teenagers that day, along with David who could only help occasionally as he was called away to help with battle preparations. The Woman had been present when Llilwen was brought in, silent and staring, her body a mess of bruises and her hair a tangled mess.  
  
"Who is that?" asked Susan, her eyes wide with fear. "And what happened to her?"  
  
Kara choked back the sob that threatened to rise in her throat. "She is an Elf. Llilwen. Elenath's mother."  
  
"She has been tortured by the orcs," said one of the maidservants bitterly.  
  
"El's mom?"  
  
Kara's face crinkled into tears as she nodded. "Elenath will be heartbroken when she finds out. Her father was killed just shortly after our arrival here."  
  
"I fear for the princess's life," added the servant. "So much grief can be deadly for an Elf. Even a pregnant Elf."  
  
Susan ran her fingers through her purple hair and bit at her tongue ring, as was her habit when she was thinking. Her blue eyes narrowed and she sighed. Why not? she thought to herself. Now more than any time in my life I know that miracles can happen. God has used me to heal many. Why not this Elf? She began to follow the small procession of healers, her friends trailing curiously behind her.  
  
The procession of Elves stopped at a side room and they lay Llilwen down on a bed, their leader speaking gently to Susan. "You must let us do our work, Young One. Perhaps we can save her."  
  
"I can help," replied Susan, adding, "I… I know I'm just a kid and I don't look like much… but sometimes God allows me to heal others. Maybe He will let me help here."  
  
At first, the Elves looked at Susan as if she had lost her mind. Then, one by one, they seemed to remember how Elenath had brought King Thranduil back from the dead and stepped back to allow Susan access to their fallen sister. "Please," said the healer, "do whatever you can."  
  
"You trust me?" asked Susan. "Just like that?"  
  
She nodded. "It is difficult not to trust one with such faith in her abilities, Susan."  
  
"It's not me," said Susan, "but Christ in me." Then, lifting a silent prayer heavenward, she reached out and took Llilwen's hand as her friends gathered around, gently touching the bruised places on the Elf's body.  
  
***  
  
Elenath and Legolas finally managed to pull themselves together enough to be led through the palace to the room where Llilwen lay.  
  
"I've had enough of death to last five lifetimes," whispered Elenath.  
  
Legolas squeezed her hand. "So have I."  
  
As they turned a corner, Elenath heard the sounds of prayer coming from a side room a little further down the hall, "If it is Your will, Father, heal her body and bring peace to her mind. Bring her back to us…" The princess' breath caught in her throat and she dashed ahead, just in time to see Susan leaning over her mother's still, seemingly lifeless form and taking her hand saying, "Llilwen, wake up!"  
  
There was a moment of silence before Elenath's mother blinked slowly a few times at the purple-haired young Woman before her. Color returned to her face, her wounds miraculously healing before their eyes.  
  
The Elves looked at one another in awe of what had happened. Even their most powerful magic would have taken more time to work. It was not long before Llilwen was sitting up and laughing, beckoning her daughter to come near. "I was just in the most amazing place!"  
  
"What place?" asked Elenath as she embraced her mother, casting thankful glances at her young friends.  
  
"I was on a path, near a golden city… There was a Man there… A great Prince. When I asked him his name, he said, 'Immanuel!'"  
  
"What else did he say?" asked Elenath.  
  
"He said many things, some of which I must never repeat until the appointed time. He also said that my daughter needed me."  
  
Poor Elenath had dissolved once again into tears, but this time they were happy. "I do need you, Mom, more than you know. What mother-to-be does not long for her own mother to guide her through the trials of giving birth and raising a child?"  
  
***  
  
Dinner that evening was a bittersweet event. The return of Llilwen brought an almost celebratory flavor to the evening, but the announcement that the orcs had a dragon struck fear into the hearts of even the bravest Elves.  
  
Despite her fear and uncertainty about the battle ahead, Elenath had to laugh at the sight of her young friends dressed in Elven clothing. The ladies especially were distraught over having to wear the beautiful gowns. Though they valiantly tried to act like ladies and gentlemen, words never before heard in Mirkwood drifted over the tables. Legolas listened to the kids with great interest, figuring out that if something was bad, it was actually good; and if something was sick, well, that meant it was excellent.  
  
Elenath almost lost it when Marcus handed Legolas a basket of fruit. "Here you go, dude."  
  
Legolas didn't skip a beat. "Thanks, dude. Here, have an apple. They're wicked good."  
  
Marcus just smiled. "You're alright, man. I have to admit I was worried at first but I'm stoked that you and El hooked up."  
  
Legolas looked over at his beaming wife. "Me too."  
  
At that moment, the hall fell silent as one of the Palace guards entered, accompanied by a messenger from the Eagles who settled by the King and Lord Elrond with a slight nod of his feathered head.  
  
"What news?" asked King Thranduil, worry clouding his eyes.  
  
The Eagle looked about the hall and then turned to the King. "I crave a word with the Royal Household and its advisors. In secret."  
  
Thranduil nodded. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? Or do you wish to convene the Council without delay?"  
  
"I have flown far and I am famished, but my news is quite urgent, King Thranduil. Please convene the Royal Council and then you can see to my needs."  
  
"Members of the Council, please assemble in the Council Chambers at once," commanded the king. With that, he stood up and left the room, the Eagle and Lord Elrond by his side. 


	41. The Council Convenes

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
41.  
  
It was to be a council of twelve that met this time: the original ten plus Elenath and Marcus who had been invited by Legolas. The Eagle's presence made thirteen, so to avoid the unlucky number, Mike was also invited to attend. Sitting around the Council Table, all fourteen of them awaited the Eagle's report.  
  
The majestic bird waited until he was sure that all were present and got right to the point. "Rivendell and Lorien were greatly distressed by the news of the siege on Mirkwood. Their warriors were dispatched at once and already Lorien has arrived at the outskirts of the forest. They are ready for battle. Rivendell's contingent remains three days hard march away, but they also desire to hasten the battle. The leaders of both armies sent me to ask if you are ready to fight.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence at the table until King Thranduil finally spoke. "Are they aware of the dragon?"  
  
"They are," replied the Eagle. "Their leaders carry the weapons of old and are ready to fight and die if necessary."  
  
The King cast his glance around the room. "What thinks the Council on this matter?"  
  
Legolas was the first to respond. "Our warriors are well-trained, Father, and ready for battle. I believe that we are ready to reclaim Northern Mirkwood."  
  
Thranduil nodded his approval and waited for any other comments.  
  
"If I may," David spoke a little timidly, "I would like to know more about this dragon."  
  
"Horrible beast," said the Eagle. "Scales so strong that most weapons will only glance off of them. It breathes fire, and dragon's fire burns through the best armor and penetrates all but the most powerful of magic."  
  
"What about Elenath?" asked David, "Will she be safe from the dragon's fire?"  
  
The King's advisors all cast questioning glances at one another.  
  
"We do not know," said Thorondil at last.  
  
Marcus spoke then, surprising them all. "It doesn't matter. I'm telling you this and I know it's true. You've got to kill the dragon. If you don't, well, dudes, Mirkwood is toast."  
  
"At any cost?" asked Estel. "Even at the cost of Elenath and her unborn child?"  
  
Deep pain shown in the young Man's eyes. "At any cost," he repeated, closing his eyes and dropping his head into his hands as Elenath touched the hilt of her sword.  
  
"The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?" Elenath looked up at Marcus as he spoke along with the sword, and she joined him along with Mike and David. "The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked come against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident."  
  
The four gazed at each other for a long moment before turning their attention back to the Council.  
  
"I do not fear death," said Elenath, "Though I cannot choose it for my child."  
  
"Our child," said Legolas, taking her hand.  
  
"Mirkwood's child," corrected Thranduil. "Heir to the throne after its father. It will be the Council's decision whether or not you will fight in this battle, Elenath."  
  
"Can someone else bear the Sword Calmakil in battle?" asked Legolas. "Weapons that can pierce dragon flesh are rare. We will need the Sword to give us the best chance possible."  
  
"Calmakil may choose a new bearer at any time," replied Lord Elrond. "But it is the Sword that chooses. If Elenath does not fight, then more than likely, Calmakil will not either."  
  
"I am at a loss," said the king with a sigh. "We do not know if Elenath's defenses can stand against dragon fire. If yes, then she will be invaluable on the field. If no… well… that puts two Elves in danger. Two Elves who are every precious to me and to this Kingdom.  
  
"It is too great a risk," concluded Thorondil.  
  
Raion shook his head. "I have watched Elenath's skill improve. She has become a formidable opponent. Frankly, we need her, and certainly the dragon cannot be defeated without the Sword that rests now at her side."  
  
"But what of the child?" asked Estel.  
  
Raion answered, "If the greatest Elven Kings and Queens of Middle Earth are going to risk their lives to slay this dragon, then why not the future heir to Mirkwood's throne?"  
  
"But they have a choice," argued Estel. "The child does not."  
  
Elenath stood up. "Do not discuss me or my child as if we were not here. Have I no say in this matter?"  
  
Legolas stood next to her, drawing her near. "No, Melamin. You do not. At least not any more than the rest of us do."  
  
Marcus stood then as well. Coming up next to the princess, he pulled her gently aside and placed his right hand on her belly, whispering in her ear for a long moment as she steadily dropped her defensive stance. Finally she stepped back from him in an attitude of humility, meeting the young Man's eyes and gently squeezing his hand.  
  
"Forgive me," she said to the council, "I am sorry. Whatever you decide, I will comply. I leave your decision in God's hands."  
  
She sat back down next to her husband as the king stood up. "Obviously this decision cannot be made tonight. But what we must decide is if we are ready to fight when Rivendell's warriors arrive."  
  
The Eagle nodded. "Both armies await your answer."  
  
"We have no choice," said Thorondil. "Such large armies cannot be hidden for long, even from orcs."  
  
There was a nod of agreement around the table.  
  
"Right," said the King. "One week, then. We will attack one week from tomorrow at sunrise."  
  
"I will relay the message," said the Eagle, "if you would be so kind as to bring refreshment to me, I will be off first thing in the morning."  
  
"Of course," said Thranduil. "And as for the matter of our Princess and her child, I ask for twenty-four hours to ponder my decision. You are all my advisors, so if you have anything you would like to say to me on this matter, please see me privately in my chambers." He paused. "This meeting is hereby adjourned." 


	42. Thranduil's Decision

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
42.  
  
"What did you say to her?" asked Legolas of Marcus as they left the meeting. Elenath was talking with Mike at the other end of the room.  
  
The young Man shrugged. "I only reminded her of Rebecca, Mike's step daughter. Her mother Diana got really sick while she was pregnant and the doctors told her she should end the pregnancy to save her own life. She didn't do what the doctors said. She trusted God to do what He would, even though she knew that she and her child might both die."  
  
"And we both know how that turned out," said Legolas.  
  
Marcus just smiled and gestured to the other end of the room where Diana had joined her new husband. Elenath stood next to them, holding the child Rebecca in her arms. Becca was kissing Elenath's cheek and playing with the Princess's long auburn curls. "Elenath always says how she can't imagine her life without Diana or Becca. She says their presence in her life is all the proof that she needs that God knows what he's doing."  
  
Legolas watched his wife with the child for a few minutes. It seemed so natural to see her with the little girl. It was as if she was meant to be a mother. He could not imagine his grief should she fall in battle, taking their child with her. He certainly would not survive it, and Mirkwood would lose three royals all in one fell swoop. "It is a rare time that I can say that I am happy that I am not my father. But this is one of those times. I would not make this decision for anything."  
  
"Dude, I don't blame you. It's a tough choice," said Marcus, shaking his head.  
  
***  
  
"How would you resolve this situation?" Legolas asked Elenath when they found a moment alone in the courtyard. Moonlight shone down on the stark shadow of autumn trees and a million stars twinkled in the sky above them. "Do you wish to fight?"  
  
She sat down on a bench and sighed. "Yes and no. I am glad the decision is out of my hands. Do you wish for me to fight?"  
  
Legolas looked at her for a long moment before leaning near to kiss her forehead. "No, Melamin. I do not wish for you to fight. I wish for you to stay here, safe behind palace walls. I could not bear to see you burned by dragon fire, our child dead within you. No. It would kill me."  
  
The two looked up at the stars for a time. Neither noticed Susan and Marcus approaching the courtyard, or saw them linger in the passageway when they noticed the royal couple there. Legolas spoke again. "But I made a promise when we were married."  
  
"What promise was that?" she asked.  
  
He looked at her a little sadly. "You do not yet remember?"  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head no. "The sword brings memories of war. Battles and techniques. Perhaps when danger has passed I will be allowed more pleasant memories. What did you promise?"  
  
"I promised never to interfere with your responsibilities as the bearer of the Sword. I've only almost broken that promise once – when Estel first brought the weapon here and I tried to keep him from giving it to you."  
  
She nodded. "So you will stand by whatever decision your father makes."  
  
"Of course. I have no choice. He is my father and my king. And the promise I made at our marriage only makes any objection impossible."  
  
She looked into his worried blue eyes and drew him near for a long kiss. "Do not worry, My Love. I have great peace in my heart regarding this matter. Let it reign in yours as well."  
  
"Amaelamin, you are my everything. How can I not worry?"  
  
She answered his question with one of her own, changing the subject. "What else did we promise on our wedding day, Legolas?"  
  
He smiled. "We promised to love one another, to respect one another, to cherish one another… Here I will tell you." He turned toward her and took her hands in his. "I Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, do promise to love you with all my heart, forsaking all others. I promise to protect you with my life if necessary, to respect you and to cherish each moment that we share. I will support you in trials and celebrate with you on joyous occasions. All that I am is pledged to you and you alone, and all that I have, I give now to you. This bond that we share shall be unbreakable even in death. I shall be forever yours, and you forever mine."  
  
She smiled. "And what did I promise in return?"  
  
He traced a line from her nose to the neckline of her gown. "The very same thing, Melamin."  
  
"I wish I could remember," she sighed. "I've been planning my wedding since I was five. I mean since I was five this time around."  
  
"You will remember," he reassured her.  
  
In the shadows, Marcus and Susan exchanged a meaningful glance and snuck away.  
  
***  
  
Almost every member of Thranduil's Council visited him in his chambers over the next twenty-four hours. Most stayed only a few minutes, but some like Lord Elrond stayed for an hour or more. Legolas did not offer his father any council. He had none to offer aside from "I do not know." He spent the time training with Elenath until a meeting of the entire Kingdom was called and everyone reported to the Great Hall.  
  
Thranduil sat alone on his throne, his face set in stone, not revealing any emotion at all as the Elves filed in. Finally when all were settled, he spoke in a loud, clear voice. "I cannot make this decision."  
  
"What?" asked Elenath. "You must!"  
  
Thranduil shook his head. "It is not for me to decide."  
  
"Then who's supposed to decide?"  
  
"We will let the Sword decide," he answered. "We will get its answer now if you would be so kind, Princess."  
  
The king motioned to the floor at his feet and Elenath rose.  
  
"The one decision that I came to is that the Sword must be wielded in this battle. If when it is put down at my feet, it chooses Elenath, then she will fight in the battle. If it chooses another, then that person will bear Calmakil and the princess will not fight."  
  
With a short prayer, Elenath laid her beautiful sword at King Thranduil's feet and stepped back. The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. For many long minutes, the weapon was silent and they began to wonder if it would ever speak. When it finally did, the room erupted into confusion and surprise. The Sword's decision had seemed to cause more questions than it had answered. 


	43. The Sword Speaks

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
43.  
  
Raion was the first to step forward to dispute the Sword's decision. "As second in command of our armies, I must protest. There must be some mistake. The very idea is absurd. It's not only impossible, but dangerous as well."  
  
Elenath herself was in shock at the words the Sword had spoken. Her young friends also exchanged wide-eyed glances with each other and Pastor Mike. None of them dared speak.  
  
King Thranduil turned with disbelief to Lord Elrond who simply shrugged. "The Sword has spoken," he said.  
  
The Sword had spoken. Elenath's mind reeled, trying to grasp what it had said. She went over the whole scene again, wondering if perhaps she had misheard. Her weapon had spoken her own name first, followed by ten others: each one of the teenagers who had come to Mirkwood with Pastor Mike. What did it mean? Why were these innocent young Men and Women being drawn into this? Shaking her head she stuttered, "I don't understand. Eleven people cannot bear one sword."  
  
"Of course not," said Elrond. "You will bear Calmakil, just as I will bear my weapon, the Lady Galadriel will bear hers, and Thranduil will bear his. An honor guard made up of ten of our best warriors will attend each of us. At least, that is always the way it was in the past."  
  
The princess shifted her weight uneasily. "What, exactly, does this honor guard do?"  
  
"They are your protectors," replied Elrond, "and the protectors of your weapon. They ride in a circle or semi-circle around you at all times. That way if you are stricken down, one of the honor guard can pick up the weapon and continue the fight."  
  
Her heart was filled suddenly with protectiveness. "We cannot ask such a thing of them, Grandfather. You know how dangerous this mission will be. Those who have been chosen as my 'honor guard' stand upon the very threshold of their lives. Would you take that from them? Because I cannot."  
  
"Of course not," he said. "They will be given the option to serve or not to serve. Whichever they wish."  
  
Thranduil was taken aback so much that he stuttered. "How can you take this seriously, Elrond? They are children! Ten children cannot guard our princess! It's ridiculous and I cannot believe you would even consider permitting it to happen."  
  
"Indeed they are young," said Legolas to his father, "but children they most certainly are not. We would not allow a child to sit on Mirkwood's war council." He motioned toward Marcus.  
  
"You forget, King Thranduil, that this Sword can speak only truth. We would do well to heed its advice," said Elrond.  
  
Thranduil shook his head and slumped slightly on his throne. "I cannot believe this. Absolutely insane…."  
  
Elenath turned to face the group who stood behind Marcus and Susan, and watched as, one-by-one, they stepped forward to pledge their service to her. "We are warriors, after all," said Susan, "Even if we do not have the support of King Thranduil or the Elves of Mirkwood. Even if we have no physical weapons. We've had the feeling for a long time that we would not sit idle during this battle and we are all ready to fight and die if necessary. After all, if God is for us, then who can be against us?"  
  
While the Elves seemed to take this as naïve glory-seeking, Elenath practically begged the kids to reconsider. "You don't realize how dangerous this is, you guys. You could all be killed. Dragons breathe fire, and believe me, I've seen my share of burn victims and it is not a fun way to die. It is excruciatingly painful."  
  
They deliberated among themselves about this for a long moment while the Elves argued among themselves if they could really allow their princess to be guarded by mere human beings who, to their knowledge, had never shot an arrow or held a sword.  
  
"No." Legolas stepped forward. "No. Absolutely not. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. What point will there be in sending these ten into battle with my pregnant wife? All twelve will die. I will not have it. Over my dead body will these humans be her honor guard!"  
  
"Do not be so quick to make your decision, Prince Legolas" came a booming voice from the back of the room. "For there is more at work here than can be seen even with Elvish eyes."  
  
Everyone turned with a start toward the voice and Elenath looked toward it as well, seeing that it came from a slightly bent figure in the doorway – an old man who she regarded with curiosity. He wore flowing gray robes and a tall pointed hat. A thick, unruly white beard and bushy eyebrows obscured most of his face.  
  
The entire gathering seemed to look back and forth between the two of them, as if he was a very important person and they were wondering if she remembered him. At first she did not, but after a moment of looking into his eyes, a smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth. How could she ever forget Gandalf and the journeys she had shared with him? It took only a few seconds for her to fly to him with open arms. "Gandalf! How did you get here? We are surrounded by orcs!"  
  
The Wizard chuckled. "There are advantages to being a Wizard, my dear." 


	44. Elenath Makes Her Choice

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
44.  
  
Legolas was oblivious to the happy reunion taking place before his eyes. In fact, he was horrified. Approaching the unlikely pair of Elenath and Gandalf, he shook his head. "Am I to understand that you approve of sending Elenath into battle with ten untrained Humans, Wizard?"  
  
Gandalf gave Elenath one last great squeeze before letting her go. He shrugged at the prince. "It matters not if I do or do not approve. Is it not ultimately the princess' choice who will join her in the fight?"  
  
Suddenly all eyes were on Elenath. "Is that so?" she asked.  
  
Gandalf nodded and the Elves seemed to agree, though reluctantly.  
  
"What choice have I but the one put before me? Are these ten willing to follow me into battle?" Elenath looked at her young friends.  
  
Before they could answer, Raion stepped out of the crowd and knelt before Elenath. "If you will have me, Princess, I will pledge my bow and my life to your defense. You need not endanger the young ones."  
  
She looked deeply into his eyes, shocked by the dedication she saw there. Why would anyone, let alone such an important Elf, be willing to lay down his life for her?  
  
Gratitude rose in her heart as, one by one, ten of Mirkwood's best warriors came forward and knelt before her. They gazed up at her from the right. When all of their pledges had been made, Marcus and Susan stepped forward from the group to the left. They did not kneel.  
  
"El, look," said Marcus. "We don't know how to fight with swords and arrows and spears and stuff. Maybe we'd do better just to stay out of your way. But I just can't shake the feeling that the Sword is right. The ten of us are ready and willing to be your honor guard if that's what you want."  
  
"Since we arrived here, we've felt strongly that we would do more than cower in fear during the battle," said Susan. "Let us fight the dragon with you. Marcus is right. We don't know much about weapons. But…"  
  
"This war will not be won by the sword alone. Let us fight with you in our own way," Marcus finished.  
  
"I'm in too, on those terms," said Kara, joining the teens.  
  
"And I am a given," added David. "I pledged my sword to you long before we ever knew what an orc even was."  
  
"Don't leave me out of this," said Mike. "If we're fighting Marcus' way, I wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  
Elenath regarded the warriors on her right carefully. They were strong, rugged, battle-ready Elves. Each of them had a weapon at his side. No fear showed in their eyes. Indeed, she would feel safe with those ten. Certainly no physical harm would come to her in their care.  
  
Looking to her left, Elenath smiled softly. Ten teenagers, none of them armed with anything but a Bible, stood there looking afraid and uncomfortable in clothes they were not used to wearing. The additions to this group were not much better. Kara could dance better than she could fight. Mike was the most mild-mannered person she knew and she could not imagine him on a battlefield. Then there was David. She knew he would gladly die for her. But what is one Man against a fire-breathing dragon?  
  
"It seems an obvious choice to me," said Legolas, surveying the scene, but Elenath shook her head. She closed her eyes and thought hard; trying to remember the battles she had fought before. Many of them came back to her and she knew that in over a thousand years, the Sword had never steered her wrong. It made sense to her anyway. It was as if God was asking, "Will you follow me when it's really tough? Will you put it all on the line to follow me? Or will you trust in the mighty strength of the warriors of Mirkwood to protect you?"  
  
When she opened her eyes, everyone was looking at her. It was so quiet in the Great hall that they could hear the Kitchen Elves talking over their ovens.  
  
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses," said Elenath, stepping toward the group on her left and reaching out to take Marcus' and Susan's hands, "but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. These thirteen will be my honor guard."  
  
Gandalf smiled. "You always were a wise one," he said as the Great Hall erupted into an uproar. Even Legolas was protesting her choice, begging her to reconsider but she would not.  
  
Later that night in their chambers, the prince was relentless in his attempts to change her mind. "Do you not care?" he asked, "You carry our child. Our child, Melamin! In doing this, you have doomed not only yourself to death, but the child too."  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about," she replied. "I have doomed no one. The Sword spoke, and I prayed, and this is my decision. I do not wish to discuss it any longer."  
  
He stood up, angrier than she had ever seen him. "I will not allow it," he said, "I'll chain you like your grandfather did long ago. I swear I will, Elenath."  
  
The memory of being chained came back strongly at that moment, and anger rose up within her. "You will do no such thing. How dare you even suggest it! You made a promise, Legolas. Remember? Now shut up and let me do my duty."  
  
He was speechless. Had she really just told him to shut up? "Curse my stupid promise, Elenath. I love you. I will die without you. You cannot do this. I will not allow it."  
  
"You will allow it," she retorted, "Even if I have to chain YOU!" 


	45. A Request from the Prince

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
45.  
  
Legolas took Elenath by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Why are you doing this? Do you want to die? Are you not happy here? If you want to leave Mirkwood, you know that I will follow you anywhere. Just name the place."  
  
"Legolas, your words are like curses flung at me. Do not say that I will die. Maybe I will, but I fail to see why God would allow that to happen. Shouldn't you be more worried about my honor guard?"  
  
"Another reason you should abandon this ridiculous plot," he said. "At the first blast of fire from that dragon's mouth, every one of them will go down: Kara, David, Mike, and ten young humans from another world. How could you allow them to do this, Elenath? I thought that you cared for them."  
  
She glared at him. "Let's get one thing straight, okay? I love those kids. Don't you dare ever accuse me of feeling otherwise!"  
  
"If you loved them, you would have sent them back where they came from long ago," said Legolas.  
  
"You don't understand where I'm coming from," she seethed. "You see what you see with your eyes and talk about the spiritual realm as if it was far away from you, out of reach and uncaring about the affairs of living beings. Well, that's a load of tripe, Legolas! To understand where I'm coming from, you need to understand that my God knows what he's doing when he does things. Even when he does crazy things and things that don't make sense and cannot be explained. He rescues the unreachable and saves those for whom all hope has been lost. You think that I'm going to die and that no one can rescue me? My God can! My God has!"  
  
The poor Elf was taken aback by his wife's tirade. He looked at her with eyes full of confusion and exclaimed. "Elenath, I know almost nothing of this God! How am I supposed to trust him with the safety of my wife and child? If you think that I will, then you must not understand how much I love you, how much I need you, how much I love our baby."  
  
Her expression softened a bit. "Legolas, Amin mela lle! I love you more than I love my own life! And the child in my womb is more precious to me than anything else in this whole world. But the Sword has spoken that I must fight with the ten from the other side of Andotempla at my side. Over and over again, the Blade has spoken the words of my God to me, and I trust that it is an instrument to help us find God's will here in Middle Earth. There is a purpose for all this. If I live or if I die; if we win or if we lose, there is a purpose far greater than you or I or even our little baby could ever fathom."  
  
"You truly believe this," he said. It was a statement, and not a question, for his wife had shown by her actions again and again that she believed it.  
  
"Yes I believe it! Where God leads I choose to follow, even if it seems crazy."  
  
"And if I did chain you up?" he asked.  
  
"I'd like to see you try," she replied with a mischievous grin.  
  
He laughed. "I would not be so bold, My Lady. I do have one request, however."  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
He knelt before her as the ten warrior Elves had done in the Great hall. "Let me ride with you, Elenath. I will make the fourteenth member of your honor guard and will gladly protect you with bow and life if necessary."  
  
She looked at him with wide eyes. "But… you're the Prince! You should be riding into battle with your own honor guard!"  
  
"Just as you should have done fifty years ago when you chose to ride in my honor guard. Melamin, you died for me. I am willing to do the same for you, if only I can be by your side."  
  
Doubts crept into her mind, but she subdued them. What he said made sense. "Then yes, if it pleases your father, I will grant your request."  
  
***  
  
King Thranduil did grant Legolas' request after two hours of debate with his son. The king was not pleased with the idea, but he knew Legolas well enough to know that he would find a way to fight at Elenath's side regardless of what anyone else said.  
  
"I just hope this is not the death of you, Son," he said.  
  
Legolas lowered his eyes, unwilling to let his father see the worry in them. "If Elenath dies, Father, then I am as good as dead myself. It only makes sense for me to guard her. I am more than willing to die if it means she will live and bring forth Mirkwood's new heir."  
  
The king sighed. "Oh that she had returned to us in a time of peace, Legolas. She is confused and overwhelmed enough just by being here, though she slowly remembers. But now… we require her to fight as well. It seems a cruel punishment for one undeserving of anything but honor."  
  
"She will rise to the occasion," replied Legolas, "just as she always does. Noble Elf that she is, she would never consider doing any less. But when this is over… when the dragon and the orcs are defeated, she will never have to lift a weapon in war again if I have any say in the matter."  
  
"I felt the same about your mother," replied the King. "Now go, whip that honor guard into shape as best you can. Your wife's very life depends on it."  
  
With a nod he retreated from the Great Hall and went in search of the ragtag group that had vowed to ride into battle with Elenath.  
  
*** 


	46. Legolas Loses It

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
46.  
  
Legolas tried to ready Elenath's honor guard for battle as Gandalf looked on from the side, often with an amused twinkle in his eyes. A couple of the teens made pretty decent archers, including Susan who surprised everyone with her ability to pull back a 65-pound bow – a talent earned by deer- hunting with her father. Marcus and a good number of the others had trained with Elenath in Kendo, and they were, as their friends said, "pretty wicked with a sword." Three or four of them, however, were hopeless. Clumsy, weak, and unsure of themselves, they fumbled around the practice field like fish out of water. Legolas could only shake his head as Elenath encouraged them as only she could.  
  
"Don't worry!" she said one day when one of them had hacked the arm off of a statue on the edge of the field, "That statue never looked quite right anyway. We'll fix it after the battle. Next time thrust a little more this way, and maybe you'll hit your opponent."  
  
Most nerve-wracking to the prince was the fact that his wife's honor guard spent almost as much time on their knees in prayer as they did in combat training. It drove him crazy to sit there as they asked God for protection, guidance, peace, knowledge, skill, and a hundred other things. They encouraged each other with passages from their ever-present Bibles and, most of the time, acted as if their lives were not in danger at all. Finally, two days before the battle, Legolas lost it. They were singing. Singing! Singing while they were supposed to be learning to ride Mirkwood's horses. Singing while they were supposed to be getting used to their new armor. Singing! If Legolas had known what a musical was, he would have felt that he was stuck in one!  
  
"Stop! Stop right now!" he shouted, pulling on his hair in a very un-Elf- like manner. He was flushed red with anger and his face twisted in an ugly grimace. "What is wrong with you? Do you not understand that in two days we will face death?"  
  
The entire group fell silent and stared at him, mouths hanging open in surprise.  
  
"The future of Mirkwood is in your hands and it appears that you do not care!" He shouted. "You sing songs about this God saving you and giving you victory. Well what good will that do when you cannot even wield a sword properly?" He looked over at Gandalf who was laughing at him. "What do you find so funny, Wizard? You! One of Elrond's trusted advisors laughing at a time like this! What is wrong with all of you?" He let out an angry bellow and kicked a rock, sending it flying through the air. "I have had enough of singing and prayer. You must learn to fight or be prepared to die!"  
  
Marcus shook his head and looked at Elenath. "Haven't you taken the time to explain anything to your husband?" he asked her. "El, what were you thinking? The poor guy's about to have a coronary. Look at him. I'm wicked surprised at you."  
  
Elenath looked back at him. Marcus was right. She had not even taken the time to explain the spiritual warfare that her friends were engaged in to her husband. To him, the prayers and songs and Bible verses had seemed like fun and games while she had known all along that it was important work – far more important than weapons training or horse-back riding. "There hasn't exactly been a lot of time available, Marcus."  
  
"Dude," said Marcus, approaching the Prince. "You need to chill, man. Come on. I'll explain some stuff to ya."  
  
For some reason, Legolas believed him and followed the young Man off the field and out of sight, turning his back in disgust at the rest of them. Gandalf followed as well, and the practice continued under David's direction.  
  
***  
  
It was a completely changed Legolas who came back two hours later. He was certainly more relaxed, and he even laughed when one of Susan's arrows stuck fast into the forehead of the armless statue at the edge of the field. He was suddenly much more patient with the young warriors, and when they sang he joined them.  
  
"What did he say to you?" Elenath asked him during a short break.  
  
Legolas shook his head and chuckled. "He told me that it's 'all good' and that God is in control."  
  
She put a hand on her hip as she looked up at him. "I already told you that, Legolas!"  
  
"He also explained to me about the power of worshipping God in song, and of speaking God's words, and of prayer. And he told me many tales about the ancient days in his world, when God did amazing things. Like that time that he led the Israelites out of Egypt."  
  
"He still does things like that," she said. "Did he tell you that too?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "Then he prayed for me while Gandalf cast this spell…. And I could suddenly see things so much more clearly. It is as if I was given memories of the ancient days before we Elves were born to Middle Earth, when we lived in Heaven with God."  
  
"Are you still afraid, then?" she asked him.  
  
A little of the shadow returned to his eyes and he nodded. "Yes. Yes and no. I do not want to lose you, Melamin. And I worry for our child. But… I really believe that we will win this battle. The only question is who will still be standing when it is over."  
  
She gazed at him for a long moment, for the first time imagining her life without him. Everything came into clear focus. The world would be a cold, lonesome place without Legolas' merry laughter, his beautiful songs, his warm embrace, and the completed feeling she had when she was in his arms. "I fear losing you too," was all she could manage to say before tears clouded her eyes and she looked away.  
  
He pulled her near. "Let us not think of that now. We must first prepare for the battle and deal with the future when the future comes."  
  
Nodding, she wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. "I can't wait until this whole thing is over and I can just…."  
  
"Just what?"  
  
She shrugged. "Just be your wife and the mother of our child. All I have remembered from my past is the fighting and the warfare, and I am weary of fighting, Legolas. Perhaps after this battle there will be peace in Mirkwood."  
  
He lifted her chin and gently pressed his lips against hers. "There will always be peace for me right here in your arms," he whispered, "regardless of anything that happens around us." 


	47. Susan and Marcus' Plot

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
47.  
  
"A'ight, a'ight. Break it up now." Marcus approached the prince and princess with Susan at his side. "Break's over. Come on you two." He smiled at them, mischief showing brightly in his green eyes. "Prince Legolas, you're comin' with me again."  
  
The prince reached for his quiver and arrows, but Marcus stopped him, picking them up himself. "You won't need those where we're going. Come on."  
  
Susan had taken Elenath's sword and was leading her in the opposite direction.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Elenath.  
  
Susan just grinned. "We have a surprise for you."  
  
"What kind of surprise?" asked Legolas as Marcus practically dragged him off in the opposite direction.  
  
The young Woman shrugged. "Just a little something." With that she turned and walked away, taking Elenath with her.  
  
***  
  
Something was going on. Something big. Elenath realized this more and more as Susan escorted her into the palace, past an elaborately decorated Great Hall. Here it was two days before the big battle, and the scent of flowers wafted through the palace. Susan rushed her through the corridors too quickly for her to get a good view of what was going on in any of the palace's common rooms, but there was certainly a lot of activity and none of it involved weaponry or armor.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Elenath, but Susan would not reply. They drew nearer and nearer to Kara's chambers where all of the female members of her honor guard were gathered, along with her mother and numerous maidservants. The maids were upon Elenath at once, unceremoniously stripping the princess of her armor and sweaty clothing and practically tossing her into the luxurious bubble bath that sat waiting for her.  
  
"What in the- We don't have time for this! What are you doing?" demanded Elenath as she was scrubbed with rose petal-laden soap and water from the bottoms of her feet to the very top of her head. They even fussed over buffing and trimming her fingernails, something she had never ever done in her whole life. And no one would tell her anything.  
  
"Chill," said Susan. "You sound like Legolas did this morning."  
  
"But-"  
  
One gleeful glance from her mother silenced her at once. While Elenath still sat in the bath, Llilwen approached her with the only piece of Middle Earth that the princess had ever seen before actually arriving there. The golden necklace and the green jewel that dangled from it had belonged to her mother, and so Elenath had returned it to her shortly after her arrival in Mirkwood, but now the princess had it in her possession once again. The green jewel still shone as brightly as it had in her grandmother's living room back in Indiana. "You will want this," said her mother gently. "Wear it always."  
  
Elenath took a moment to gaze into the gem just as she had on the other side of the Gate. How long ago that seemed! Surely it had been years since she had arrived here! But no. It had been only a couple of months.  
  
"What do you see?" asked her mother.  
  
The princess saw nothing at first in the stone, but when she looked more deeply, she smiled. "I see Legolas."  
  
"That is as it should be," her mother said, smiling, "for the stone shows that which you long for above anything else in all of Middle Earth. Now look deeper."  
  
Elenath did, and after a few moments a radiant smile lit her features.  
  
"What do you see now?" asked Llilwen.  
  
"I see the Lord Jesus standing with open arms at the gates of the golden city."  
  
Llilwen nodded. "This is what you long for above all else in all of creation. Let these visions be a light to guide your life, for they are the two most important things to you. Cherish them both."  
  
The princess smiled. "Thank you, Mother. Amin harmuva onalle e'cormamin (I will treasure your gift in my heart). But what is the occasion?"  
  
Kara came up beside her then and laughed. "I'll tell you what the occasion is, 'ol buddy 'ol pal 'ol friend! Susan and Marcus happened to overhear a conversation that you and Legolas had the other night in the courtyard. Something about how you didn't remember what you promised him on your wedding day and how you'd been planning your wedding since you were five and you wished you could remember the ceremony."  
  
"And so," continued Susan, approaching with a vast cloud of white fabric in her arms, "We have planned a small ceremony so you can be wed before Elves, Men, and God before riding off into battle and risking your life!"  
  
She shook the fabric out and Elenath gasped at the wedding gown she held. "It's gorgeous! Where did you get it?"  
  
"Out of your very own wardrobe. The seamstress, bless her heart, had altered it too just in case," said Diana, Pastor Mike's Wife, as she entered the room with Little Rebecca tagging along in white taffeta, a basket of flower petals in her hand.  
  
*** 


	48. A Royal Wedding Part 1

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
48.  
  
Legolas stood looking at himself in the mirror, his closest friends gathered 'round him. He wore the green velvet robes of Mirkwood – the same that he had worn on his wedding day a thousand years before. "This is crazy," he said, "Why is this so important to her?"  
  
David chuckled and shrugged. "Perhaps it is not so important to her, Legolas, though I know that she wishes to exchange vows with you in the Christian tradition. But it means a lot to us, her friends. We never got to see her married, and we all want to."  
  
"It seems silly now to take time for this," said the prince.  
  
"I know," said David, "But it's not really. None of us knows what the day after tomorrow will bring. They all want to see this come to pass before they risk their lives."  
  
***  
  
The wedding gown was the most beautiful thing that Elenath had ever worn. She was taken aback by the silken fragility of it, amazed that it had survived a thousand years. Its low neckline and the hem of its full skirt were embroidered with gold and flecked with diamonds. The long train was adorned in the same way, and her long sleeves fit tightly from shoulder to elbow and then flared prettily to golden points that nearly touched the floor. From the perfectly fitted bodice to the diamond-encrusted slippers it was obvious that the ensemble had been made especially for her.  
  
Just when she thought that she was fully dressed and ready, Kara brought forth a full-length veil and draped it gently over her head. "This is new," said Kara. "The Elves thought the veil was a charming tradition when I told them about it, so they made this for you."  
  
The sheer circle of white fabric was studded with tiny diamonds and bordered with the same embroidery as her gown. It covered her from head to toe, giving her the surreal, gauzy appearance of some magical creature, and Kara secured it in place with the princess's bejeweled golden circlet. She smiled at the affect. "There," she said, "You're a masterpiece!"  
  
And in fact, Elenath did feel as if she were a work of art on exhibit. Everyone stared at her in awe, her mother wiping away a few stray tears. When the princess finally turned to look in the mirror, she gasped. "Wow."  
  
"Yeah, wow!" said Susan as she slipped her green velvet dress over her head. "You look gorgeous!"  
  
"I feel gorgeous," replied Elenath, unable to take her eyes off of her reflection. The emotions that filled her at that moment were a little overwhelming. How long had she dreamed of this day? She was a bride! And when she thought of the Elf who would be waiting for her at the altar, tears of joy threatened to spill down her cheeks. "Thanks you guys. Thanks so much! You don't know how much this means to me."  
  
"It means a lot to us too, El," said Susan, "and don't you dare cry or you'll get us all started!"  
  
They had all dressed in elaborate green velvet gowns, a far cry from the armor they'd worn only an hour before. Elenath was just beginning to admire and compliment them all when a light tap sounded on the door. When the maidservant opened it, Elrond stood there with a handful of Elite Mirkwood warriors – the very Elves who usually guarded the King. They were heavily armed and seemed to have the attitude that this was the most important mission of their lives. So serious was the air that surrounded them that for a moment Elenath feared there was something wrong.  
  
"Ah, Elenath," said Elrond, seemingly speechless for a moment, his smile lighting up the room, "Vanimle sila tiri (Your beauty shines bright). Legolas will be more than pleased with his bride."  
  
Elenath could not stop the blush that crept into her cheeks. "What thinks Legolas of this surprise, Grandfather?"  
  
He chuckled. "He does not understand, Lirimaer (Lovely One), but that will not matter in the least once he sees you. I doubt he will understand, or even care to understand, much of anything once he sees you coming toward him. Now come. Legolas awaits." He offered his arm, which she took with a smile.  
  
They followed the bridal attendants out into the corridor just behind little Rebecca. Elenath was surprised when the guards surrounded them, weapons drawn in their defense.  
  
"Should I be worried?" Elenath asked her grandfather and she noted that a guard or two seemed to be fighting smiles.  
  
"No, Lirimaer. This is simply an Elven tradition. The bride is heavily guarded to prevent her from being stolen by-"  
  
At that moment, David and Raion dashed into the corridor with a band of Elves who surrounded the bride and her bodyguards as if trying to kidnap her.  
  
There was an awkward moment of silence when they first saw her, and Elenath heard David suck in his breath as if wounded. She met his eyes for a moment and almost fell to her knees with the pain she saw there. The pain of one who could never have what he desired above all else; an all-encompassing pain that came and went in the blink of an eye. Before she had time to register the feelings that assaulted her heart, his whole demeanor changed and he was coaxing and taunting her with the rest of the Elves, trying to reach through the bodyguards to kidnap her, and she was laughing along with his merriment.  
  
"Come with us," they said, "And we will save you from the horrible prince Legolas!"  
  
"Do not answer them, whatever you do," Elrond whispered in her ear. "It will only make things worse." He was grinning ear to ear as Raion promised her a much grander palace than Mirkwood's if Elenath would but marry him instead of Prince Legolas.  
  
The walk to the Great Hall took twice as long as usual as the groom's attendants tried their best to sway the bride with compliments and poetry, sonnets and songs that would have made any self-respecting woman melt into a puddle at their feet. Estel surprised the princess with a sonnet of such tenderness that she found herself wondering if he really meant it. Even Marcus was in on the action. "Yo, hot momma!" he hollered, "Come over here and let me show ya a good time!" Many of the princess' own attendants were blushing wildly by the time they reached the doors of the Great Hall and the "attackers" finally relented and joined Legolas at the altar.  
  
The bridal party stood far enough back that Elenath was not in sight of anyone within the great hall, so she turned to the guards who were lowering their weapons and smiled. "You were all very brave to protect me from those ruffians. Lle ume quel, belegohtarea (You did well, mighty warriors)!" With that she kissed each one lightly on the cheek through her veil. "Thank you."  
  
Their leader answered for them all. "If such kisses were payment for the employ of our swords and bows, then we would travel anywhere at any time for you, Princess."  
  
She smiled at them as they disappeared into the Great Hall. 


	49. A Royal Wedding Part 2

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
49.  
  
Elenath found herself at the end of the long line of her attendants, Elrond at her side.  
  
"This is really quite charming," he said as a huge bouquet of wildflowers was handed to his granddaughter, "all of these human traditions. Here I am, as David said, 'giving you away' as if you were at one time my possession. That was never true, Elenath. You've had a mind of your own since the day you were born."  
  
"Grandfather, you own more of my heart than you realize, I think," she replied quietly. "I have remembered bits and pieces of our lives before I left Rivendell, and I remember how much we loved each other."  
  
"Loved, Elenath? My love for you will never die. You are my granddaughter; the miracle brought to my daughter in her darkest hour. You saved her life and brought joy back into mine."  
  
Music had begun to play in the great hall and the line started to move forward.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked the princess.  
  
Elrond smiled. "There is no time for that story now, Lirimaer, for the time draws nigh to present you to this rogue Prince of Mirkwood who stole your heart against the wishes of two kingdoms!"  
  
The doors had opened and Elenath gasped at the vision that met her eyes. The Great Hall was covered in flowers and green plants. Every Elf in Mirkwood had ceased their work to attend. Most of them were not dressed for a wedding. It seemed that this was as much as surprise to them as it was to Elenath. Her mother stood smiling at her, looking back from the front row. And there, at the Altar next to Pastor Mike, stood Legolas, his expression of confusion turning at once to one of complete awe as he gazed upon her. She actually saw David reach out a steadying hand to the Elf as he faltered a bit in his stance.  
  
"Lovely One, how can it be that you have chosen me above all others?" he asked her very softly when she neared.  
  
Their eyes did not stray from one another as she answered, "My heart would not allow for any other choice, my beautiful Prince."  
  
"Nor would mine," he whispered as she turned away from him toward Elrond. "Nor would mine."  
  
The Lord of Rivendell gazed with love at his granddaughter as he lifted her veil, smoothing it lovingly back over her shining auburn hair before kissing her cheek. "Both of your hearts have chosen well," he said before retreating to the front row to sit next to Llilwen.  
  
Time seemed to move in slow motion through the ceremony. Every detail was perfect. They exchanged rings, which seemed to appear magically from the folds of David's robe and Kara's gown. And when Legolas spoke his vows, Elenath could no longer hold back her happy tears.  
  
"I, Legolas, take thee, Elenath, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live. According to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge thee my faith."  
  
She promised the same, and then spoke the traditional Elvish vows as well. In the silence that followed, Kara readied her guitar and after a pause, spoke softly. "Ever since we were little girls, Elenath told me that she wanted this song to be sung in her wedding. Neither one of us knew then how appropriate it would be when the time finally came." And she began to sing as the prince and princess shed tears of joy and of sadness at the words:  
  
"When you are a soldier I will be your shield  
  
I will go with you into the battlefield  
  
And when the arrows start to fly  
  
Take my hand and hold on tight  
  
I will be your shield, 'cause I know how it feels  
  
When you are a soldier  
  
When you're tired from running  
  
I will cheer you on  
  
Look beside you and you'll see you're not alone  
  
And when your strength is all but gone  
  
I'll carry you until you're strong  
  
And I will be your shield 'cause I know how it feels  
  
When you're a soldier  
  
I will be the one you can cry your songs to  
  
My eyes will share your tears  
  
And I'll be your friend if you win  
  
Or if you're defeated  
  
Whenever you need me I will be here  
  
When you're lost in darkness I will hold the light  
  
I will help you find your way through the night  
  
I'll remind you of the truth  
  
And keep the flame alive in you  
  
And I will be your shield  
  
'Cause I know how it feels  
  
When you are a soldier."  
  
[lyrics by Steven Curtis Chapman]  
  
That night after all the merriment and all of the dancing; after David had taken Elenath aside and admitted that he would always love her and would always be at her service and the prince's; after Kara had wept tears of joy for her friend and tears of sadness that her own marriage had failed so miserably; and after Marcus had pulled Susan close and admitted the love he had kept hidden from her for so long, Elenath and Legolas retired to their chambers. They knew not whether they would spend one more night together, or an eternity of nights, but it did not matter. All that mattered was their love for one another and they showed it in countless ways until falling asleep comfortably in each other's arms.  
  
*** 


	50. Raion's Secret, and Mirkwood Rides to Ba...

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
***START A/N***Only three more chapters to go after this one, folks!***END A/N***  
  
50.  
  
The morning of the battle arrived too quickly for anyone's liking. Elenath woke early, even before her husband, and lay next to him wishing that the dawn would never come. Legolas stirred next to her, drawing her closer into his warmth, burying his face in her hair.  
  
"Uuma dela, Melamin. Lye nuquernuva sen e dagor (Don't worry, My Love. We will defeat them in battle)."  
  
She was glad that he could not see her face as she grimaced, bravely forcing back her tears. The time had passed for tears. She had to be strong now. No point in wishing for things to be different. Things were as they were. She had to get up and face this day valiantly, just as she had faced every uncertain day since her arrival here.  
  
"Amin mela lle (I love you), Legolas," she whispered.  
  
He responded with a squeeze, "I never knew what love was until I met you, Elenath. Promise me something."  
  
She turned to face him, meeting his gaze and losing herself in it. Reaching up to brush a long strand of hair from his face, she sighed. "What would you have me promise, My Prince?"  
  
"No heroics this time. Do not give your life to save mine. Please."  
  
"Legolas-"  
  
"Please," he repeated, "Promise me."  
  
"I could not go on without you by my side," she said.  
  
"You would go on, if nothing else, for the life in your womb. The child must live, Elenath, even if I die. Mirkwood's throne must have an heir. Promise me."  
  
She was silent for a long moment before taking a deep breath and whispering. "Okay. I promise. But no matter what happens today, I will love you always."  
  
"And I you," he replied, kissing her gently. "Now come. The sun rises and the battlefield calls. Together we will defeat the orcs and the dragon. Cuamin linduva yassen megrille (My bow shall sing with your sword)!"  
  
***  
  
If it were not for the huge Elven army gathered on the practice field in shining armor, their standards waving brightly in the autumn sunlight, it would have seemed a good day to go for a pleasure ride in the wood. Emerging from the stables on her bay mare, Elenath was immediately joined by her honor guard and Raion who presented her with bow and quiver of arrows.  
  
"You mustn't be without these, My Lady," he said with a nod.  
  
"I am no archer, my good Elf. A bow and quiver of arrows will not be worth their weight upon my back." She moved to hand them back, but he would not take them. "Please Raion. The battle is nigh. We haven't time-"  
  
"Hear me, My Lady," he interrupted, "I should have told my reasons for this long ago, but you must carry bow and arrows into battle."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I never told you what the Sword showed me on the day of your first archery lesson."  
  
"Raion, this is not the time. It matters not. You've proven yourself a loyal friend and a skilled warrior. The reason for your change of heart that day is not important."  
  
"Yes it is," he replied. "You might not think me such a loyal friend after I tell you this…"  
  
She gazed at him, waiting as her honor guard looked on curiously.  
  
"Princess Elenath, from the moment you came to Mirkwood over a thousand years ago, I tried to hold you back from learning the arts of war. You were a princess – someone to protect, not someone to fight next to in battle! That is what I thought then. I failed miserably in my attempts to stop your training, but I did manage to instill a fear of archery in you. That was quite an accomplishment because, as you know, the bow is the principal weapon of the Wood-Elves."  
  
"That is ancient history, Raion. What has passed is not important to me."  
  
"I did not realize what a horrible thing I had done until the Sword struck me down that day. It showed me your final battle, when you saved Legolas' life by taking an arrow through your heart. I could hear your thoughts, Princess Elenath. I could hear what you thought as that orc aimed at Legolas. `Too near to hope for a miss and too far away to stop him before he shoots.'" He paused, guilt clouding his eyes. "If you had been an archer… Elenath, if I had not stood in the way of your learning archery, then you could have shot that orc where he stood, saving the prince's life and also sparing your own." He looked at the ground. "I might as well have killed you myself that day."  
  
Elenath's heart went out to the Elf before her. How long had he been carrying around this guilt? "Raion," she said softly, reaching out to take his hands, "You ARE a loyal friend and a skilled warrior. There is a reason for everything, and I would not trade the time that I spent on the other side of the Gate, or the things that I learned there for anything."  
  
His eyes searched hers deeply, as if looking for the truth in them. Seeming to find it, he bowed deeply. "You are truly a remarkable Elf, Your Majesty."  
  
"Not nearly so much as you, Raion. Let your heart be free from guilt, for I hold no ill feelings against you."  
  
***  
  
The strategy had already been discussed at length. Her mission was the same as that of Thranduil, Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel. Find the dragon and slay it while the rest of the armies dealt with the orcs. And it was with this purpose that the leaders of Mirkwood hung back behind their armies as they marched the road to Rivendell.  
  
"Cast your eyes heavenward," suggested Legolas who rode as Elenath's point guard. "Watch for signs of the dragon."  
  
But it was David who first spotted the beast circling high above the Orkish armies, filling Elenath and her honor guard with black dread.  
  
It was so far away and high up that it looked like a mere black worm writhing in the sky. As yet it had not spied the Elvish armies. "I had hoped all this talk about dragons was just a bad nightmare," said Elenath, her voice shaking a bit.  
  
"I assure you it is not, My Lady" replied Legolas.  
  
The rest of the honor guard wasted no time in conversation but immediately began to pray for deliverance. 


	51. The Battle Begins

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
51.  
  
Elenath watched in horror as the worst possible of all scenarios unfolded before her. Mirkwood's armies came upon the orcs at the same moment the dragon attacked from above, spewing hot flame from its mouth.  
  
Gandalf quickly cast an anti-burning spell on the Elves and their armies, but the heat from the blast was intense to the point that Elenath feared that her human friends might pass out. In desperation she nocked an arrow and aimed it heavenward, firing two rapid shots at the horrible beast. They bounced harmlessly off of the dragon's scales and Legolas shouted over the din of the battlefield, "Do not waste your arrows! They will not pierce dragon flesh."  
  
"Where is Galadriel and her magic arrows?" asked the princess as a wave of orcs attacked from all sides.  
  
The answer was lost in the mêlée that followed. She prayed fervently for her young honor guard, that God would guide their swords and arrows, and looked heavenward, waiting for the dragon's next attack. An orc battled its way through her honor guard's protective circle and Elenath drew her sword with a slicing motion that took the horrible creature's head off.  
  
The moment her hand touched the sword, it spoke to her with the voice of rushing waters. "You do well to place your trust in God instead of solely in your weapons. "  
  
She shouted to her Heavenly Father as another orc broke through her guard, "In you I place my trust, O God! Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me (Psalm 22:5)!"  
  
The sword continued to speak even as she slew the second orc. "When you are afraid, trust in God. In God whose word you praise, in God you must trust. You should not be afraid. What can your enemies do to you?"  
  
"I will trust and not be afraid," she answered, surprised to hear most of her honor guard shouting with her. "The Lord, The Lord is my strength and my song; He will be my salvation (Isaiah 12:2)!"  
  
Elenath tried to take in the big picture while staying focused on her mission: to slay the dragon. She somehow needed to get close enough to the beast to use the only weapon she possessed that could harm it, and that was her sword. Taking a quick look around, she saw that Elrond and Thranduil were contemplating the same thing and that Gandalf seemed to be in the middle of a particularly difficult spell. Where was Galadriel? Perhaps she was having trouble breaking though the lines to meet them.  
  
"The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective," said the sword as a sudden volley of arrows flew at them. Raising their shields, they deflected all, but were certainly not out of trouble. It seemed that every orc within range of them had suddenly realized Elenath's whereabouts, and all were attacking her group.  
  
"Death to Elenath!" they cried, "Kill the princess! Revenge will be ours!"  
  
"Jesus help us!" entreated Susan, nocking arrow after arrow and letting fly as quickly as she could. Each one hit its target.  
  
"God save us!" shouted Marcus, and Elenath cried out in a similar manner. Though they fought bravely it appeared that they would soon be overcome. Soon Elenath's entire honor guard was asking God for His help, even Legolas, and that was when a miracle happened.  
  
The dragon appeared once again, swooping low for another pass and breathing a steady stream of fire as it did so. The heat was unbearable. In fact, Elenath truly expected to find herself mortally burned by the attack, but when she checked herself, she was not. Gandalf's magic did seem to be wearing off, however. She and her guard had to put out a few small fires on their clothing after the dragon had passed.  
  
When they all looked up, their hearts were cheered, for it appeared that the fire had taken out about one third of the orkish army and confused the remaining creatures enough that King Thranduil's army was able to force them away from the dragon slayers.  
  
The feeling of elation did not last long, however. In the brief moment of silence that followed, Elenath watched in dismay as Legolas slid from his horse, landing on the forest floor in a pool of his own blood, an arrow protruding from his side.  
  
"Oh, Jesus," she breathed, her body going completely numb as she dismounted and rushed to his side. She could hear one of the lower-ranking Elves galloping over to them. "Oh, Melamin…" She took Legolas in her arms and kissed his forehead, relieved that he was still conscious, though barely so. "Legolas… don't you dare leave me." Her tears splashed onto his face.  
  
"Amin hiraetha (I'm sorry)," he whispered, "Amin mela lle (I love you), Elenath. Fear not. Fear not for me and fight well, My Love."  
  
His face looked peaceful and without pain, though she knew that he must be in agony. It almost shamed her to know that she wore her own pain and worry plainly on her face. "I will not let you down, My Prince," she replied and kissed him gently, determination creasing her brow. As she said a quick prayer, the Elf who had ridden to their aid lifted Legolas across his saddle and galloped away toward the palace at break-neck speed. 


	52. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
52.  
  
Elenath was livid. Here she had finally found something she thought she would never have – a husband who loved her and who she loved dearly. She had found happiness in Legolas' arms, and now these… creatures had quite possibly taken him from her. Her eyes narrowed. She certainly was not going to stand idly by and let them get away with it. They would pay and pay dearly! A determined, all-encompassing peace settled around her and she became even more bent on destroying the dragon no matter what the cost.  
  
It was almost a blessing that the unthinkable had happened and Legolas had fallen. Now she did not have to worry about him. His life was out of her hands, and although her heart cried out in prayer for him, she was able to put her mind to the task at hand.  
  
The Eagles had arrived and dropped heavy stones into the fray, knocking out orcs left and right while screaming their battle cries.  
  
"You all right?" asked Kara briefly as Raion galloped in to take the Prince's place as point guard. Elenath nodded her thanks to him and he nodded back, his eyes full of compassion for her.  
  
"Not all right," replied Elenath, "but I will not stop 'til this blasted dragon and every foul beast on this field are defeated!"  
  
There was a loud cheer as the Lorien armies finally broke through the orkish line, their standards flying proudly. They, especially Galadriel, momentarily entranced the princess. All of Lorien's warriors seemed to glow with some kind of inner light, but Galadriel shimmered with it.  
  
A cry of rage rose from the orcs as the glittering queen raised her bow and shot off three of her white arrows in quick succession. Each hit its target dead on and the dragon plummeted toward the earth, its wings crippled.  
  
Rivendell's warriors were not far behind, and they fell at once to the task of beating back the orcs.  
  
As the dragon fell, one of the Lorien Elves raced to Elenath's side with a bundle of Galadriel's white arrows in hand. "You are the Princess Elenath?" he asked, eyeing the sword in her hand.  
  
"I am," she replied.  
  
"I am Haldir, the captain of Galadriel's guard. My Lady asked me to present these to you with her welcome and well wishes. Use them wisely, Princess."  
  
She nodded and took them, but before she could thank him he had already galloped away, swiftly returning to the Lorien contingent, shouting commands to them as he went.  
  
Elenath briefly met the gaze of Lady Galadriel and mentally thanked her even as the dragon finally crashed to earth in a writhing, angry mass of black scales, red eyes, and sharp teeth. Its huge clawed feet stomped with such force that the ground shook and its spiked tail flung crazily about, knocking both Elves and orcs from their horses.  
  
"You are welcome, Princess Elenath," a soft yet powerful feminine voice echoed in her mind. She looked up at Galadriel who nodded toward the dragon. "Our time has come now, Child. Take up your sword and do that which you were born to do."  
  
"How do you talk in my mind?" she shot back.  
  
"It matters not, Princess, though I could ask you the same. I hear your voice as well, though you do not open your mouth. Now, to battle!" The last was spoken as a command that Elenath dare not disobey.  
  
Already Elrond and Thranduil had charged forward, and Gandalf had stretched forth his hands with a loud cry, releasing a strong tendril of light that wrapped itself around the monster's feet and tail, seemingly gluing them to the earth.  
  
The dragon bellowed in rage before spraying fire once again, revealing the fact that Gandalf's anti-burning spell had faded completely. Elrond and Thranduil retreated at once, putting out fires as they went.  
  
"Forward!" shouted Elenath as she raised her bow and nocked one of Galadriel's arrows.  
  
"We will be burned alive!" protested Raion, and Elenath could see fear in the eyes of many of her honor guard.  
  
"We must have faith," she replied letting the arrow loose, further enraging the beast as it slammed home a little off the mark that she had aimed for.  
  
"Amen!" agreed Marcus, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!"  
  
Elenath smiled, remembering the story of the three Men in the Bible who had refused to bow to an idol that the king had made. As punishment, the king had thrown them into a giant furnace heated to seven times its normal temperature, but God saved them from the flames. They had walked around in the fire for a long while unharmed until the king called them out of it. He was so amazed that the three Men were not burned that he praised their God and decreed that no one should ever say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (a/n: this story can be found in the Old Testament in the Book of Daniel, chapter 3).  
  
"I am afraid," admitted one of her honor guard.  
  
"As am I," replied the Princess, "but we must have courage. I am not a good enough archer to kill the beast with Galadriel's arrows." She looked around at her young friends, at Kara, Mike, David, and Raion. "Those who have the faith to follow, CHARGE!" The last word echoed through the Wood as the party thrust forward into the fire.  
  
Elenath had never been so deathly afraid, but she hid her fear as the dragon turned toward them with a mighty roar. To her surprise, the roar was answered by Marcus and David and then joined by the rest of her guard. Had not Israel's armies leveled the walls of Jericho with such a shout? Before she could comprehend what was happening, the shout has risen up all around them, though the ranks of Mirkwood, her warriors raising their weapons against their foes; through the ranks of Rivendell who stood proudly in support of Elenath and her guard; and through the ranks of Lorien, whose queen watched the dragon and waited for the flames to clear so that she could fire her arrows once more.  
  
The Elves fell silent when they heard that David had lifted his voice above the shout in song, Elenath and the rest of her guard joining him, the beats of their horses' hoofs giving the song a pounding rhythm.  
  
"Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart  
  
Naught be all else to me save that thou art  
  
Thou my best thought by day or by night  
  
Waking or sleeping thy presence my light.  
  
"Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word  
  
I ever with thee, thou with me, Lord  
  
Thou my great Father, I thy true Son  
  
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.  
  
The little group became fearless in their attack, even as the dragon spewed flames at them. Their courage was contagious even to Raion who looked about in wonder as the inferno hit them. Flames burned the grass beneath their feet and the trees around them, but could not touch them or their horses. The flames did not burn even their hair or their clothing, and they were immune even from its heat.  
  
"Be thou my battle shield, my sword for the fight  
  
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight  
  
Thou my soul's shelter, and thou my high tower  
  
Raise thou me heavenward, O power of my power.  
  
"High King of heaven, after victory won  
  
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun  
  
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall  
  
Still be my vision, O ruler of all!"[pic]  
  
Thranduil and Elrond tried to follow them but were forced away with another blast of fire from the dragon's mouth. They could do nothing but stand back and watch in awe as the princess and her honor guard rode through the flames as if they did not exist.  
  
Galadriel's arrows had ceased flying as the queen feared hitting those who had plunged into blaze, and Elenath still was not close enough to use her sword. She nocked one of the precious arrows given her by Haldir and took careful aim at the dragon's heart. Her aim was off once again, and the arrow struck it in the eye. Aiming lower the next time, it struck the neck. Then she managed to lodge an arrow just beneath its wing. The princess' heart pounded in her chest as fire sprung up all around them and she nearly wept with thanksgiving that they could feel neither flame nor heat and could not even smell the putrid smoke that the dragon fire produced. Pulling her final arrow back, she prayed as her honor guard continued to sing. "Careful," she told herself. "Careful…" Finally she let fly and the arrow found its mark.  
  
With a thunderous noise, the great lizard roared, producing even more fire as it fell onto its side on the ground, still thrashing about wildly.  
  
"How does one put a dragon out of its misery?" thought Elenath, loathing to see the great beast suffer so, no matter how evil it was.  
  
"Take its head," came Galadriel's calm reply in her mind.  
  
That meant getting very near those sharp teeth and the source of all the fire. Looking around at her honor guard, she stopped their forward march, surprised to see an extra Man on horseback with them. For a moment, he was unfamiliar, but then she looked closer and dismounted at once, falling on her face before him.  
  
She had forgotten this part of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; the part where the Lord walked with them through the flames. Yet there he was, riding on a white horse, his eyes full of love and of righteous anger. An air of authority surrounded him as he addressed her guard. "Flee now before the fire begins to burn. Elenath must face this last challenge alone. She will slay the dragon."  
  
"But Lord, we cannot," said David, "We swore to protect her and her weapon even at the cost of our lives!"  
  
"My brave warriors," he said as the dragon once again sprayed them with flame, reigniting the grass and trees around them, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Yet at this time I do not require such sacrifice from you. Heed my command and go! You have other work to do now."  
  
They looked questioningly at Elenath who stared back at them in disbelief. "GO! If the Lord says go, then go!"  
  
With that they fled, retreating just as the hottest breath yet escaped the dying dragon's mouth.  
  
Jesus turned to the princess and helped her to her feet, sending her horse racing also after her honor guard. "Now, Child, go and do that which the sword commands even now. It will guide you well."  
  
"Please," she asked, "Please, My Lord, how fares Legolas?"  
  
He shook his head. "He fades quickly, Beloved. But your friends saw me here long before you did, and I told them how they might save him. They race to his side even now and I hope that they are not too late. Only My Father knows for sure if he will live."  
  
"I did not forget you," she whispered, "I've heard and recognized your voice, My Lord, and I-"  
  
"I know," he said, embracing her tenderly. "I love you My Child. Fear not, for we shall meet again…"  
  
With that he faded away and she gripped the Sword, heeding its command to race forward toward the dragon's snapping teeth and smoking nostrils. 


	53. Temptation

RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)  
  
53.  
  
To Elenath's surprise, the dragon calmed as she neared, lifting its head with the last bit of strength it had. Narrowing its remaining beady red eye, it looked her up and down and began to growl softly.  
  
"Now there are females slaying dragons, eh? I see you are well armed for the task, my beautiful one."  
  
"I came here to put you out of your misery," she said, looking the dragon in the eye. "Are you prepared to die?"  
  
The dragon chuckled and leered, great clouds of smoke wafting from its nostrils. "I have a better idea, my dear Elf. Help me, for I know that Elves have great healing powers, and I will see to it that Mirkwood is never again disturbed by any foe, beast or otherwise."  
  
"I would no sooner help you than stab myself in the foot," she replied, "I'll not have my child grow up in a kingdom protected by a dragon."  
  
"Ah, but my dear, you do not yet realize what all I can do for you! Dragons are quite magical. I can make you queen over all of the Elven realms – the most powerful Elf in all of middle earth. How would you like that?"  
  
She glared at the beast. "I do not desire power, Worm. Not from you."  
  
The beast snaked its head around. "Then what is it you do desire? To be my queen perhaps?" He licked his lips. "I believe you would be… quite … tasty."  
  
Elenath's stomach turned. "You flatter yourself," she said.  
  
"Ah, but there is one who you love. One who is in mortal danger even now. I can fix that for you, my dear; bring him back from the brink of death with just a single drop of my blood."  
  
Her eyes widened. "You could save Legolas?" The Sword burned in her hand.  
  
"I could save him and see to it that no harm ever befall him or you… or your child."  
  
She thought of her husband fighting for his life back in the palace. What would he want? To live and see his child grow up with the threat of dragon attack or to die knowing that the dragon had been slain. If it were her… well, the choice was obvious, and echoed by the shouts of her sword. "The dragon is a liar! Do not listen to him!"  
  
"No more of your worthless offers, Dragon," she said, stepping forward. "I will not help you."  
  
The beast bared its ugly teeth and took a rasping breath. "Even your pregnancy cannot protect you from my fire."  
  
"Perhaps not, but my Lord can! Let's get this over with. I would like to be able to say goodbye to my husband if indeed his cause is so hopeless."  
  
She lunged forward, slashing furiously as the dragon tried once again unsuccessfully to barbeque her. It was a fierce battle, but the dragon was already near death and the sword almost seemed to fight for the exhausted princess. When she finally slit its throat and decapitated the beast, she was so fatigued that she could barely stand.  
  
With sheer force of will, she emerged from the patch of burning forest to find the ragged remnants of the orkish armies scattering in confusion, routed by brave Elven warriors. The battle was won! For that, tears of joy mingled with those of worry for her husband. But where was her horse? Shrugging away her weariness, she started toward the palace, stumbling and tripping all the way until Raion came upon her on the road.  
  
"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed, dismounting and lifting her into his strong arms. "You were believed dead. Mirkwood mourns for you even now! Are you wounded?" He took in the sight of her, covered in dragon blood and grime.  
  
"No, Raion, I am not wounded. And I assure you that I am very much alive. What of Legolas?"  
  
"He needs you," said the warrior simply, gently placing her on his horse and swinging up behind her. She leaned back into him, barely able to hold her head up.  
  
"Forgive me," she whispered. "I have never been so exhausted."  
  
The Elf tightened his grip around her with one arm and took off at full speed toward the palace.  
  
***  
  
Legolas lay pale and weak upon one of many beds that had been set up in the Great Hall, surrounded by Elenath's honor guard who stood around him singing at the top of their lungs, their hands gently resting upon his cool skin. The arrow had been removed and the bleeding stopped, but he still teetered on the line between life and death. They protected him fiercely from what they knew must be the false rumor of Elenath's death, knowing that even that could force his health in the wrong direction and they could lose him forever.  
  
"What news of my wife?" he whispered once when his eyes flickered open. "My wife and child… are they well?"  
  
"She has not yet returned, Your Highness," answered David, "But yes, I believe they are well."  
  
He nodded. "Wake me, my friend. Wake me when she arrives. Please."  
  
"Of course," replied David as an Elf distraught with worry approached them.  
  
"Is it true? Please tell me that it is not. Tell me that Elenath is not dead!!"  
  
Susan grabbed the Elf and dragged her away, cursing as she went. "You fool! The prince lingers on the brink of death waiting for news of his beloved. He has no desire to live if she does not. You may have just killed him!"  
  
"Dead?" asked Legolas, his eyes flying open. "Dead?"  
  
"No!" said Marcus, "She lives. I can feel it."  
  
Tears formed in the prince's eyes. "Elenath… I cannot go on without you… Life is meaningless without you in it…"  
  
"Dude, listen to me!" he shouted. "She lives! I swear it!"  
  
Legolas' head fell over to one side, his breath faltering a little. "I only want to be where she is…"  
  
"Legolas! Dude, don't you dare leave us! Do you want her to come back here and find you dead? You made it this far. Fight! Don't do this to her!" He shook the prince by his shoulders.  
  
Legolas' eyes flickered open. "I am so weary of life," he whispered, "Weary of the pain. Weary of the uncertainty. I cannot face it without my wife."  
  
"Look," said Marcus, "Legolas, hang on, okay? Sing with us a while. It will make you feel better, and your wife will be here before you know it."  
  
The young Man was taken aback by how childlike the Elf looked at that moment. Legolas blinked up at him. "Can you give me your word on that?"  
  
/Anything,/ thought Marcus. /Anything to keep the prince alive./ "Yes. I give you my word."  
  
The prince nodded and softly joined in the song that Elenath's honor guard was singing.  
  
"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;  
  
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;  
  
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  
  
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;  
  
So shall I be saved from my enemies.  
  
"The pangs of death surrounded me,  
  
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.  
  
The sorrows of hell surrounded me;  
  
The snares of death confronted me.  
  
In my distress I called upon the Lord,  
  
And cried out to my God;  
  
He heard my voice from His temple,  
  
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears…"  
  
This went on for a few minutes until the prince's strength seemingly gave out and his lips stopped moving.  
  
"Legolas?" asked David, leaning near. "Legolas?"  
  
The Prince did not respond. His breathing had grown very shallow and his lips were beginning to turn blue.  
  
At that moment, Raion burst though the doors with Elenath in his arms, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Prince Legolas, I have your wife and she lives! She lives, Your Highness!!"  
  
That got a response from the Prince. His eyes flickered open and he fought to draw a full breath. Letting it out he croaked, "Elenath?"  
  
She struggled from Raion's arms, tossing bits and pieces of her armor aside as she stumbled toward her husband. She needed to feel his warmth next to her; needed to feel the shape of his body against hers, so the armor had to go. It made horrendous clashing noises as it hit the floor. Finally all that remained were her long tunic and breeches. They were stained with dragon blood and soaked with sweat, but she didn't care. She broke through the circle of her young friends and gathered Legolas into her arms, smothering him in kisses and practically drowning him with her tears. "Tell me you're still alive," she whispered, "Please, Legolas, tell me I'm not too late."  
  
"Somebody said you were dead," he whispered. "Oh, Elenath. I lost all hope, but your friends… they begged me to hold on…" His hand came up to rest on her belly. "Cormamin lindua ele llie (My heart sings to see you both)."  
  
The princess smiled. "Oio naa elealla alasse (Ever is your sight a joy), Legolas."  
  
Elrond and his honor guard clamored into the room at that moment, and he came at once to Legolas' bedside, embracing both the prince and princess at once and speaking words of healing over them. "Was the arrow poisoned?" asked the Lord of Rivendell, concern showing bright in his eyes.  
  
"It was not, My Lord," replied one of the healers who had tended the prince's wound. "In fact," she produced the arrow from a nearby shelf. "This was one of our own arrows."  
  
Elenath looked closely at it. "One of my arrows?"  
  
"It appears to be so," replied Elrond, "Though it could not have been shot by you." He checked the Prince's wound gently. "You rode behind Legolas and this entered from the side. Did you fire any of your own arrows, Granddaughter?"  
  
She nodded. "Two. I panicked and shot them at the dragon, but they were deflected."  
  
"Lucky you did," said Elrond. "Some orc must have picked it up and fired it instead of one of their own. If Legolas had been poisoned… well… it would all be over."  
  
Elenath gave her husband a little hug. He was still weak and listless in her arms, though he gazed up at her with such joy that it was easy to forget he was wounded. "Will he be okay, Grandfather?"  
  
Elrond finished examining the wound and looked into the Prince's eyes, checking his pulse. Finally he smiled. "Yes. It will take a few days, but Legolas is going to be just fine. Now if you'll excuse me, there are others who need my help."  
  
"What happened to you, Melamin?" asked Legolas after a moment as he gazed happily into her eyes. "It looks like you've been fighting a dragon or something."  
  
She chuckled tiredly. "Yeah. Something like that. The crazy beast tried to talk me into marrying him."  
  
He grimaced with a sudden wave of pain and relaxed when it passed. "Never talk to a dragon," he said.  
  
"I won't," she promised. "Never again. Now let's get you back to our chambers. You'll be more comfortable there and I can take a long bath."  
  
"Let me help," offered Estel with a smile, seeming to appear out of nowhere with the warriors from Rivendell and Lothlorien. "I am overjoyed to see you both alive." He picked Legolas up from his bed and followed Elenath slowly down the corridor.  
  
"Were there many casualties, Estel?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"Many wounded," he replied, "None mortally."  
  
"Dead?"  
  
The Man actually laughed. "Not one has been reported dead, My Lady. Not even one."  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked heavenward and whispered, "Diolla lle, Yeshua (Thank you Jesus)."  
  
***  
  
Early the following summer, Elenath gave birth to a healthy baby girl at Rivendell. So great was their joy that the prince and princess of Mirkwood named their daughter Lalaithwen which means "laughter." They fell in love with the child at once, especially Legolas who marveled at the baby's bright blue-green eyes and tiny pointed ears. He never missed an opportunity to show his daughter off to anyone who would look.  
  
All of the princess' young friends had returned home through Andotempla, and throughout the years, the guards of Mirkwood often found curious packages there bearing strange foods, photographs, and letters. Once they had even found a piece of wedding cake with a photo tucked into an envelope underneath. Elenath had wept tears of joy when she opened the envelope to see a picture of Marcus and Susan on their wedding day. When she showed it to the king, he called for a grand feast to celebrate the joining of these two great heroes.  
  
David and Kara were married five years after Lalaithwen's birth, with Pastor Mike performing the ceremony. He had settled in Mirkwood with his wife and daughter.  
  
Princess Elenath slowly remembered all of her previous life and fell more in love with Prince Legolas every day. As for the Prince, his feelings grew even stronger than he had ever believed possible, both toward his wife and his daughter. He was so joyful that it was more common to find him singing than to find him silent.  
  
For many years, the wood was safe from orcs. The trees grew and sang in the breezes, and the road to Rivendell was well traveled by all sorts. It was not until many years later when some of the former darkness returned to Mirkwood that a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins wondered into the wood.  
  
But even then, Legolas and Elenath lived happily ever after, for they had one another.  
  
THE END. 


End file.
